The Legend of 'Captain' Jack Sparrow
by ScarletRosePetal
Summary: Before I'd even met Jack Sparrow, I knew my life would be changed by him. I was just a young girl unwillingly on a pirate ship. Who knew one 15 year old boy could become my entire life? Set before and during COTBP.
1. Chapter 1: GoodBye

I stepped out on my deck and stared out at the sea. I blinked back tears as I thought of the life that awaited me. The sun glared down and reflected the colors of the sunset into the ocean. It was a beautiful sight, but even it's shear glory wasn't enough to cheer me up. Everything was happening too quickly. First my mother died, and then my father told me about his new 'job' in America. It was almost too much to take!

"Selesta," my father quietly walked into my room. "You need to get ready. We're leaving tomorrow morning."

'Of course, Father.' I thought in my head, acting as if I hadn't heard him. 'I'll just pack my bags and act as if I want to be on a pirate ship.'

"Selesta, did you hear me?" He said, somehow knowing I was ignoring him on purpose.

"Father, I just can't believe you would sign onto a pirate ship and force me to go along with you." I said no more and continued to watch the sun setting lower in the sky.

"There was nothing more to do. I couldn't continue as a mercant sailor, you know it didn't provide for us. It was the only job I could take with my qualifications, and I couldn't leave you behind. Now, my mind is made, and I do believe I told you to pack."

There was no arguing after that. Besides, what good would it do. His mind was made up.

I slowly walked over to my dresser. I dug through it trying to find a few things. My comfortable dress, a hat, and a pair of leather shoes that I used to use for my dance class. I guess there will be no more of that. I threw it all into my bag, and walked over to my bed. I pulled back the covers and laid down. Staring at the ceiling, just searching threw my head a way to get out of this fate. When I realized that there was no way out, I lost it. I began to cry, and I didn't stop until I was asleep dreaming of the worst.

I awoke in the morning with a tear stained face. I wasn't surprised though, considering I had cried last night for about an hour before I fell aleep. I quietly got out of bed an pulled on and old dress. I walked down the hall as silently as possible, and I looked into my father's room. He was still asleep and I was glad, for two reasons. Yesterday had been very stressful, for both of us and I wasn't quite sure if I could face him yet. I was also glad, because for as long as I could remember, we were extremely competitive about being the first one ready, and I wasn't about to let my two year winning streak go down.

I continued my walk down the hall and stepped into the bathroom. I quickly washed my face, and brushed my long, brown hair and finished by pulling it back, out of my face.

'I wonder what it will be like on a ship.' I began to think. I had never actually step foot on a boat of any kind, though I new a lot because of my father's previous profession. 'I might actually like being on a ship. No, Selesta, no!' I stopped myself. 'To like being on a pirate ship, no, thats not you, thats not proper, thats not...' My train of thought was interrupted my the sound of my father waking up. I dashed down the hall with my hair brush clutched in my hand. I tossed it into my bag, and threw the bag over my shoulder. I then walked down the hall and stepped into his room.

"A pirate you are!" I laughed. But the sentance was far to true, and he truely looked like one. Especially since he had slept in his clothes.

"You beat me again." He compained, and he probably made a mental note to wake up earlier everyday on the ship. "Here, Selesta. I meant to give you these last night, but..." He stopped and handed me a pair of boots. "To keep the water off your feet." He explained. I sat down on the ground a pulled on the boots. They fit perfectly and were very easy to walk in.

"Thank you, father." I said standing up. He leaned down beside his bed, and grabbed his sword. He attached the sheath to his belt, and he swung hiw bag onto his shoulder.

"Lets go." He said. We stepped out the door and I took a glance behind at my home. 

'Good-bye,' I thought. 'I'll miss you.' And that was the last time I thought about England.


	2. Chapter 2: The Secret

We walked up to the port and I glanced around to try to find the Ship. I automatically knew which one it was. It's black sails blew in the wind, and the crew rested along the edge of the dock.

"Welcome to the Black Pearl, Campbell." The man said my father's name as if he had known him for years. Suddenly I grew suspisious but, I said nothing about the man.

"The Black Pearl?" I questioned my father.

"The name of the ship." He said without blink. He was acting as if pirates were nothing. I couldn't help but feel as if he were hiding something from me, and a cold chill ran down my spine. I finally took my first step on board the ship and was greeted by the captian.

"Welcome aboard, miss Selesta." He said. No one even had to tell me who he was. It was obvious he was in charge. He stood with a certain amount of athority, but he didn't seem like I thought a pirate captian would. He actually seemed rather nice, and I couldn't help but think, maybe I was wrong about pirates after all...

"Selesta, this is Captian Joseph Sparrow. He has a son around here somewhere, about your age."

"Aye, I do, Selesta. His name's Jack. If you'd like to find him, I'd not be able to help ye with that! He hardly stays in one place!" The captian laughed, and walked off. The way he talked of his son had me intrigued. I suddenly wanted to meet 'Jack', but because of what the captian said, I wasn't sure if I'd get the chance. The captian then reappeared with a woman. She was small, about my size, but she seemed friendly. "Selesta, this is Lola. You'll be sharing her cabin. If you'll show her where it is, Lola..."

"Of, course Captian." She said, with a smile. "So," she said, leading me down a staircase, "Your father's Cannonbell. You must be proud."

Her words hit me like a cold wave. "My father's who?" I asked my eyes fixed on her.

"Your father, Cannonbell?" She stared at me as if I didn't know what a queen was. She continued walking down a dark hallway, shaking her head. "I can't believe that man didn't tell you the truth. Well, I'm going to tell you, whether he knows or not. Selesta," She said, unlocking the door to a room, "Your father has been a pirate on the Black Pearl for years." She stepped inside the room, and I began to look around. There were two beds, a dresser, and a small mirror on the wall. Lola, once again began to talk. "Your mother died at the same time we, meaning the Captian and Crew, decided to go to the Caribbean. Your father knew he would have to bring you with us, and I'm guessing he decided to tell you that he just now joined the crew."

"But, why didn't he just tell me the truth?" My heart was beating so quickly I didn't think I'd ever recover.

"Selesta, he didn't want to hurt you." She kept it simple and made it clear that was all she was going to say. "I just thought you should know the truth instead of living in ignorance."

"Thank-you, Lola. I appreciate it." I sat down on the empty bed and tossed my bag in the corner. I began to calm down, and I started to realize where my father was coming from. Lola then began to rumage through the dresser. She pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt and threw them on my bed.

"Here, these don't fit me anymore, and you'll want them later."

I picked up the pants and stared at them. 'How can these possible be comfortable?' I thought. 'Oh, well. Lola said I'd need them.' I pulled off my dress and tossed it into my bag. I picked up the pants and the shirt and put them on. Surprisingly, they felt ten times better than the dress.

"We should go back to the deck. It's going to get light soon and we've got to get out of this port before we get caught." We stepped back into the dark walkway, and she locked the door back.

"Oh, and Lola," I remembered, as we walked back to the main deck, "Do you know anything about Jack?"

"Selesta, I know just as much about Jack as someone can find out. Just let me warn you, that's not much!" She laughed, and for a while I forgot about my father.


	3. Chapter 3: The Black Pearl

Lola looked at me, still laughing and asked, "What do you want to know about him?"

"I don't know. The Captain mentioned him, and I guess I just need to meet me him, don't I?" I said. We walked up the stairs and back onto the deck. She once again smiled and then walked away to do her work. Now, all of the crew was back on the ship, getting ready to set sail. I glanced around to see if I could find this 'Jack', figuring it wouldn't be too hard, but no one looking about my age was to be found. So, I gave up and found the captain.

"Captain, is there anything you need me to do?" Anxious to do something to get my mind off the mysterious boy. I wasn't even sure why I couldn't stop thinking about him, I hadn't even met him!

"I'd like ye to follow Lola around. She'll teach ye what ye'll need to do on the ship, and soon enough, ye'll be on yur own." He turned back to the helm, and I walked off to find Lola. I glanced around and finally found her on the port side, climbing the ropes to get to the crows nest.

"Captain want you to learn from me?" She asked. I nodded, and she told me to follow her. I grabbed the ropes and began to climb, hoping that once I got to the top, I could watch for Jack.

'So much for forgetting about him.' I thought and continued to climb.

I finally got to the top, and I stepped into the nest. I looked down, it was about fourteen feet off the ground, and I glanced around at the deck. I saw a flash of my father, but then he disappeared.

"Looking for Jack?" Lola joked. She probably didn't know that I was.

"No." I lied. I gave up looking and decided to look out into the sea. We had gotten far enough from the port that England was just a thin line of land on the horizon behind us. I looked in front of us and saw nothing but sea and the open sky. Most would think this sight was despairing, but it struck something in me, and really made my thirst for adventure grow.

"Alright, so here's how this will probably go, considering this is your day aboard. Today, we have an hour up in the crows nest. After this hour, we'll go on deck and work down there." I probably looked like I had just seen an octopus fly through the sky and ask for the closest sushi store. I had never expected so much work. "We have a pretty good sized crew, so there's always plenty of time for talking, and having fun." Lola said, sensing my distress. We sat up in the nest for the rest of our time, and then another man came up. We climbed down the ropes, and back onto the deck.

"Over here, the left of the ship is the por..." I cut her off.

"The Port, I know. My father was a merchant sailor, remember?" I said sarcastically. "When he was home, he would tell us all about ships."

"Then you're a step ahead." We then continued to work on the Pearl. I learned almost everything possible about working on a ship, and on that first day, I was proven good at it. I got my sea legs very quickly and I could do any kind of work anyone asked me to do. All the men respected me, and would allow me to do the work I wanted. Later that night, Lola and I went to the cabin and were talking before bed.

"You really surprised us out there, Selesta. I think the crew really like you, and the Captain said nothing but good words about you at dinner tonight." Lola wouldn't stop talking about how well I did, and I couldn't believe it. I thought I did pretty well for the first time, but I guess sailing was just something I was naturally good at. After all, it ran through my blood.

I woke up that night to the sound of yelling voices. A storm had hit, and all hands were needed on deck. I jumped out of bed and pulled on my boots, and Lola and I were off. We ran up to the deck, and Lola started to show me what to do during a storm. The work was harder, and of course wetter. The waves were huge, and The Pearl was getting tossed around like a little toy boat in bathtub.

After a while of work, I glanced up and saw that the sail was loose, so I ran to tighten it. By the time I had gotten there, someone else was there to help. With some effort, we were able to get the job done. 

"Thanks," I said. "I couldn't have done that by myself." I looked at my helper and wondered how old he was. He looked about my age.

'This might be Jack!' I thought, and figured I had to take a chance. "My name's Selesta. What's yours?"

"Jack." He said, and ran off to help fix a broken cargo net.


	4. Chapter 4: Meeting Jack

The storm slowly started to fade, and there was less work to be done, so the Captain allowed Lola and I to return to our cabin, and some of the men to return to the bunk.

"I met Jack." I told Lola after we were finally dry and in our cabin.

"Really?" She asked. "How?" I was surprised that she took so much interest in my wanting to know him. But I liked having someone to talk to.

"When I went to go fix the sail, he was there, too, and he helped me get that done. I got his name out of him, but he ran off to help with the cargo net before I could talk to him anymore." I yawned. After all that work, I was tired, but not as worn out as I would've thought.

"Alright, let's get some sleep before morning comes. To tell you the truth, you did so well today, the Captain might, not have you follow me anymore. I might would miss that." We both laughed, and fell asleep.

I woke up early, and was the first on the deck.

'Ha!' I thought. 'Father, you lost again.' I stood on the starboard side staring out to sea. Before I knew it, I had started to sing.

"We pilage, we pluder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We kidnap and Ravage, and don't give a hoot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo, Ho! Yo Ho, A Pirate's life for me!"

"It's a great song, isn't?" Someone said behind me. I turned to see none other than Jack, smiling at me.

"How did you sneak up behind me?" I was so startled, I forgot to be polite. It's not that it mattered though. I was on a pirate ship after all.

"I've been here a while. I could sneak up behind a bird a catch it as long as I'm on The Pearl. I'm guessing you're Cannonbell's Daughter?" He asked, genuinely, as if he truly wanted to know.

"Yes, I am. You're the Captain's son, correct?" I asked back, even though I already knew. It just seemed like the right thing to say. 

"Aye, that I am." He said, walking up next to me along the edge. "Captain told me that we have the nest today, almost all day. Lost four men to the sea last night and he said that he would need all the men, and Lola, on deck today. Looks like you're stuck with me for a while. Sorry about that." I couldn't help but laugh as he spoke.

"It doesn't seem that bad." I smiled. It turned out that Jack was rather cute. For a pirate anyway.

"That's because you don't know me yet. Once you meet me, you'll be dying to do anything to escape." We both laughed. "So, what are you doing up so early?" He asked and I didn't really know what to say.

"Habit, I guess." I didn't feel like explaining the competition between my father and me. "And what about you?"

"The same. I like the sunrise." He said, staring into the distance. "I hear the crew waking up; you want to head on up to the nest?" He asked, staring into my eyes.

I looked away. "Alright, I'll follow you up." I said blushing, as he climbed up to the nest. We got to the top, and he smiled.

"You got up a lot easier than I expected. Any other way to surprise me today?" He joked.

I laughed. "Not unless you didn't think I knew the rest of the song..."

"No, that's not going to surprise me! But it was hard for me to believe that it was Cannonbell's daughter singing earlier. I'm telling you the worst way to die is your eardrums exploding. And if you listen to your father sing for too long, well..." We laughed and I began to sing the rest of the song.

"We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack. Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho! Maraud and embezzle and even hijack. Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho! Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me. Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me..." I had only known Jack for less than an hour, and I was already falling for him.


	5. Chapter 5: The Same Page

Jack and I spent the entire day up in the Crows Nest, being on look out. Or so we said. We talked the entire time about everything possible. But especially about Pirating.

"Jack. How long have you been on the Pearl?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I've been on the Pearl since I was seven. I'm fifteen now." He seemed to love the Pearl though, so I didn't bother to ask if he ever wished for land. "How old are you, Selesta?" He looked at me and asked.

"I'm thirteen now. But my Birthday is in a month." I said, as though it didn't matter. It's not like I was going to get any gifts anyway, right?

"Really? We'll be in the best place on Earth for your Birthday, then!" He smiled and laughed. But I didn't seem to get the joke.

"The best place on earth?" I stared at him, and he laughed again.

"Tortuga!" He said with a smile. He obviously loved this place, but I had no idea where it was, or even what it was. "You don't know what Tortuga is, do you?" He read my mind. "Tortuga is a port city where pirates can go without having to hide the fact that they are pirates."

"Is it in the Caribbean?" I asked. He acted as if he knew the place, but I thought the Black Pearl had always been in English Waters.

"Of course! Where else would it be?" He said with another laugh. He must have thought I was pretty funny. I didn't want him to think of me that way.

"Never mind. I just thought that the Pearl had never left English Waters, that's all." I turned away and stared out in the Ocean.

"No, every man, and Lola, has been to Tortuga. A few years back we went, just to go, and loved it. We came back of course, but decided to go to the Caribbean to stay. Then you joined the crew." He explained.

"So, my father has been?" I asked. I truly wished he hadn't lied to me so much.

"Aye. Your father has been. We all have. Except you, of course."

I continued to stare out into the sea. The sun was still high in the air, and its reflection glared in my eyes, so I had to turn back around.

"Well, when we get to Tortuga, we'll pick up a few more people for the crew. Then you won't have to be stuck up here with me anymore." I laughed, and he seemed surprised. We stayed up in the Crows nest until the sun began to set. I stared at the beautiful sight until I realized Jack was doing the same.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I asked, without looking looking at him. I didn't feel like I needed to, I felt like we were finally on the same page.

"Almost as beautiful as you." I heard him mumble.

"What did you say?" I asked quickly, turning my head toward him.

"Almost a beautiful as the sunrise." He said quickly. "Remember. I wake up early just to see it." He covered up his words and turned his head away from me. Maybe we were on a closer page than I thought.


	6. Chapter 6: More about Tortuga

Jack and I had the nest for a few more days, and everyday, we grew closer. We would talk nonstop, and he truly seemed to be my best friend, though I kept wished he was more. For three days, we did the same thing. Wake-up early and talk. Watch the sunrise and talk. Climb to the crow's nest and talk. Then, sit up there until the sunset, talking. And of course, somewhere between the talking we'd work in singing 'A Pirate's Life for Me'. It was great, but after a while, I began to wish I could do something on deck, as long as Jack was there, of course.

We were surprised one day when we woke up to find the captain waiting for us.

"The two of yous won't be in the nest today. Ye've had more than yer fair share. Just work on deck, do what ye'd wish. But I do mean that lightly. You've got to be workin. We don't have a large crew yet." He smiled and laughed at Jack, who was at the moment sitting against the rail, pretending to be asleep. "I mean it Jack." He said, kicking his boot, laughing again, and walking away.

"Well then." Jack said. "I guess I'll just have to sleep now, instead of when he's around." It sounded like a joke, but I wasn't sure if he was serious or not. I looked down at him and stared into his eyes. They were off; looking into the horizon, but the dark brown seemed to hypnotize me into thinking about nothing but him. I began to think about everything he'd ever said to me, and I felt the best I had for what seemed forever. Suddenly, ruining my trance, he jumped up.

"Selesta, we're going to Tortuga." He said as if he hadn't remembered yesterday's conversation.

"Umm...Jack, I'm not sure if you know this, but you told me all about Tortuga yesterday." I was confused, but I knew he was going somewhere with this conversation.

"No," He continued, "We're going to Tortuga." He sounded serious, this time. "Well of course you don't understand you've never been there." He smacked himself in the head and sat down. He patted the deck next to him, and I sat down.

"Jack, what are you talking about?" I had started to get worried, and I just wanted him to explain to me what his earlier frenzy was about.

"Ok, Tortuga is great, but there are somethings you need to know." He took a breath and looked hard at me. "Tortuga is a pirate port, so there are pirates. Where there are pirates, there is rum, and where their is pirates and rum, there are no sober men. Savvy?" I shook my head. I knew he was saying that there would be drunks, but I didn't see how this would deal with me.

"Jack, what are you trying to say?" I wasn't as worried, but I still wanted to know.

"Where there are drunks, my love, there is a lot of fighting. With swords. If you go into Tortuga, you have to know sword fighting, and if I know you as well as I think, you have never held a sword in your life." I slowly nodded, feeling my face burn. "Well then," He said, standing up. I'll just have to teach you. That would qualify as work, eh?" I laughed. Lola was right. It's hard to figure out anything about Jack Sparrow.


	7. Chapter 7: My Lesson

Jack grabbed my hand and lead me down a hall I had never seen before. He stopped in front of a large door and rapped the knocker. I heard someone walking, and soon I saw the Captian open the door.

"Captian!" Jack exclaimed, almost to happy to have been a normal human emotion.

"What do ya want, Jack?" The Captain tried to hide his smile, but it showed through. He was truely happy to see his son, even though he knew there was a reason he was here. Jack let go of my hand and began to talk.

"Now, you do know that Selesta does not know how to handle a sword, and it would just be murder to allow her to port at Toruga, under these conditions." He talked as though he were used to trying to pursuade, and I had to muffle my laugh. He was rather good at it.

"I do believe you should allow me to give her lessons. I'd teach her how to fight, and we wouldn't have to worry about her in Tortuga." He smiled, and placed his hand on this father's shoulder. "Don't you think this is more important than work? No, no, let me rephrase that. Don't you think this work is more important than anything else we could do?" He looked up into his father's eyes, and gave him the most pitiful stare I had ever seen. Once again, I had to cover my laugh. This time by coughing.

"Jack. Ye know that look does no good on me. But ye have a point. She needs to learn 'er way with a sword, an' I trust ye to teach 'er." He walked over to a cabinet and pulled something out. "Here." He said handing me a sword. "You can borrow me old one to learn."

"Thank-You Captian!" I said, taking the sword.

"Aye, thank-you Captian." Jack said, leading me away from the door. "Hurry, lets go before he says something about more work." I laughed again, as we ran back to the deck. We stepped into the newly arrived sunshine, and I looked at the sword. It was extremely light, and the handle fit perfectly in my hand. I pulled it from it's sheath only to find a perfectly polished blade, sparkling in the light.

"Come on!" Jack said, walking to an open area. "You need to learn."

"Aye, Captian!" I joked, and walked toward him. He shook his head, and pointed his sword at me.

"Now hold it like this..."

My lesson lasted for the rest of the week, but by the end, I could spar with Jack and almost win. By sunset, we had a large portion of the Crew watching our last spar.

"Alright, Selesta." He said. "Lets make this one last!" I smiled and glanced into the crowd, seeing my father. He gave me a smile and mouthed 'good-luck'. 'Thanks' I mouthed back, and turned toward Jack. "Lets go."

We walked to oposite sides of the ship, and waited until Barbossa, a member of the crew, gave the ok.

"Alright, ready?" He asked. I nodded, and saw Jack do the same. "Now, while I have everyone's attention, I would just like to take this opportunity to wish Miss Selesta good-luck."

I smiled and glanced at Jack. He rolled his eyes and looked back at me, laughing. Barbossa's Revolver shot, and Jack and I were off. From there it was nothing but the metallic sound of our swords, and cheers of the crew. This spar, unlike the others seemed to last forever, one person in offense, the other in defense only to switch with time. Until, I saw the oppertune moment. Jack was leaving his right side, the side on my left, much less protected than his other side. He knew that I was much weaker with my left than right, but I knew I had to try.

I was on the offense at the moment, so I worked my way toward the ropes around the crows nest. In one swift motion, I grabbed the lowest one, and succeded in swinging my self toward Jack's right side, knocking him on the deck. I let go and stood over him, my sword in hand.

"The amazing Jack Sparrow, finally defeated." I smiled and put my borrowed sword back in it's sheath, only to be greeted by the crew, and their congradulations. No one had actually expected me to be able to win, I didn't even think I could do it, but some how I did.

I walked back over to Jack, who was still laying on the floor. I extended my hand and helped him up. He looked at me, and opened his mouth, only to close it again. He shook his head, smiled and walked away. For the first time ever, Jack Sparrow didn't know what to say.


	8. Chapter 8: Under the Light of the Stars

I walked out on deck, staring up at the stars. It had only been about an hour since I had won the spar, and I began to think about Jack, hoping he wasn't embarrassed about me beating him.

"Oh!" I said, falling to the ground. "What did I trip on?" 'Well,' I thought, 'I guess that's what I get for not watching where I'm going.' Turning back, I saw Jack lying on the deck, laughing at me. 

"Falling for me, huh?" He joked.

"Please, I just like stars." I retorted, laughing back. "And I'm guessing you do, too." I looked at him, and he smiled, nodding his head.

"Aye. Even more than the sunrise. Everyday after you go to sleep, I stay out here for about an hour, lying on the deck." He sounded like he was reciting poetry, the wind caring his words up the stars and they smiled down. "You've never been out here before. What brings you now?" He gazed at me, and I sat down next to him.

"I don't feel as tired as I used to, and I couldn't fall asleep today. Jack, I didn't embarrass you today, did I? I mean, I just got lucky." I said, as he smiled one of his bright flashes.

"No, you didn't just get lucky. I didn't guard myself well; I didn't think you would see it." He admitted.

"Well, I did have a great teacher." I glanced back up at the stars, and he sat up next to me.

"Do you remember the other day, the first day we met, when we were watching the sunset?" I nodded, wondering what he was going to say next. "You heard me, didn't you?" I knew right away what he was talking about. 'Almost as beautiful as you.' His words came back to me, and I nodded. He was silent for a while, and then he turned to me. "You know, I meant every word of it." He leaned in closer to me, his arms reaching around my waist, his lips but a mere inch away from mine. Then suddenly, the inch was gone. He pressed his lips against mine, and I leaned into his kiss. We sat there, lost in each others world, nothing but our kiss mattered.

cough We turned around, the kiss broken. Lola stood there, laughing. "I knew it was just a matter of time. Come on Selesta. Good Night Jack."

"Good Night, Lola." He said, he head down. "Good Night, Selesta." He looked at me, his face turning red.

"Good Night Jack." I said, smiling. I was sure my face was burning.

Lola and I walked back to the cabin. She looked at me and shook her head, laughing even more.

"Why do you think this is so funny?" I just didn't understand her sometimes.

"I just knew this would happen. Believe it or not, while you would be asking me about him, he would be asking about you." We both laughed this time.

"The amazing Lola knows all, right?" I said, while she unlocked the door.

"Yes, she does. If only I could meet her." We laughed again, and stepped inside the cabin, and went to bed. I feel asleep dreaming of Jack, and our few moments together, longing for his touch, and wishing for morning's light.


	9. Chapter 9: The Sea's Dark Side

In the morning, I jumped out of bed, and ran to the deck. I looked around, but to my surprise, Jack was no where to be found. Where is he? I thought. Sighing, I walked over to the starboard side. I glanced out into the dark, choppy water, waiting for the sunrise. Suddenly, I felt a pair of arms wrapped around my waist. I glanced back, and saw Jack, smiling down at me.

He leaned in and gave me a kiss; A long kiss that left me longing for more. I turned my head back around and leaned against his shoulder. He was about four or five inches taller than me, so I was comfortable. We stood with each other, and the sun began to come up. We watched as different colors began to come into the sky, but because of this, we didn't see what was happening around us. There were many clouds behind us, and soon an extremely large wave was lifting up the Pearl. The ship was soon hectically rocking everywhere. Jack fell on the deck, but I was thrown into the dark abyss of the sea.

"Selesta!" Jack yelled, diving in after me. I splashed into the icy cold water and began to sink down. No matter how hard I swam, the sea was stronger. Soon, I saw Jack swimming toward me. He grabbed me and pulled me toward the surface. The crew had come out because of the wave, and they threw us a rope, and pulled us up.

"Jack, thank-you! You saved my life!" I kissed him again, but he didn't smile this time. "Jack, what's wrong?" He held on to his side, wincing in pain. Soon, I saw a bit of blood. "Jack, let me see that." He moved his hand, and I saw more blood starting to seep through his shirt. "Take it off, Jack." I said.

"Now, I know you like me Selesta, but..." He joked, trying to calm me down.

"Jack now's not the time. Just do it." He pulled off his shirt, and I saw a deep cut in his side. It wasn't very large, but I knew it was painful. "Jack, how did this happen?" There was panic in my voice, and he must have noticed it.

"The side of the ship must have scraped against me when I dived in after you. Nothing to worry about though, I be good after a little work." He smiled and tried to stand, but was unable to do so. "Ok, maybe not." His voice wasn't as strong as before, and he must have started to get worried, too.

The crew wasn't around anymore, they had disappeared after my kiss; they probably didn't want to watch that. I nervously glanced around for someone who could help. Soon, I saw Lola walking on the deck, probably just coming from the cabin.

"Lola!" I yelled, as tears began to form in my eyes. She saw us, and ran over.

"What happened?" She asked, and I told her the story, leaving out what happened before we fell.

"Jack, were going to help you stand, and well take you to the Captains cabin. Well get an expert to help, and you'll be better soon." We pulled him to his feet, and walked to the Captains cabin. He opened the door, and immediately asked what happened, I again told the story, the same way I told Lola, and we helped lay Jack down on a couch. Lola and the Captain left to get the 'expert' as they would continue to say, leaving Jack and I alone.

"Jack, I'm so sorry, this wouldn't have happened if I hadn't fallen in the water." The tears I had been holding in finally fell, and Jack feebly smiled.

"No, falling wasn't your fault." He reached up and wiped my tears away with his hands. "Nothing could've been done. Please, just promise me you won't blame yourself for this. Promise me." More tears fell I nodded my head. "Good. Then come here. I believe I need another kiss. That other one just wasn't enough." I leaned down, and kissed him, hoping I could help ease his pain. He laughed, this time like he really meant it. "After that, I'll be fine for the rest of my life! But I still want another kiss, just to make sure..." He was trying his persuasion skills again. Laughing, I kissed him again, but this time, the captain returned.

"Well, I guess I should've waited longer to come back in, eh?" The captain laughed.


	10. Chapter 10: Surgery

The Captain walked in the room with Lola and another man following him, carrying a bag and three bottles of rum. All three of them were laughing at us, and I was embarrassed.

"Alright," said the Captain, breaking up our kiss. "This is Tomas. Hes our 'doctor', now would ye be needed anything Tomas?"

"Ill need someone to stay and help me, if you can spare a man." He looked at the Captain, and then down at Jack. "It would help me quite a bit."

"Ill stay." I heard myself say. "I dont have a problem with blood and I cant leave Jack after all of this. Besides, both of you are needed on the deck." I said, pointing to Lola and the Captain.

"I told you not to blame yourself for this. You dont have to stay." Jack said, looking deep into my eyes.

"Yes. I do." I said, turning away from his gaze. "What will I need to do?" I asked Tomas. The Captain and Lola left, and Tomas turned toward me.

"I'll be doing most everything. I'll just need you to hand me certian things when I ask for them, and help keep Jack from moving too much." He opened his bag and pulled out a needle, a special looking string, and a tweezer-like tool. He handed me the tweezers and looked at Jacks cut. "Now, Jack." He began. "I think you may have a bit of wood in here causing most of the pain. We need to get that out."

"Alright. Just do it fast." Jack answered, closing his eyes mockingly.

"Selesta, if you'll hand me the tweezers?" I placed them in his hand, and he searched Jack's wound. Gingerly, he lowered the tweezers and pulled out a small piece of wood. "How does that feel Jack?"

"Great, mate. Just great." He answered. "I'm going through 'surgery' and I just called it great. Oy, what am I comming to?" I laughed and Tomas looked over at me.

"I've gotten the wood out, but now we need to sew him up. If you'll hand me the needle and 'thread'." I watched as he carefully weaved through Jack's skin, sewing the wound together. It was actually interesting to watch. Jack on the other hand, wasn't enjoying himself.

"Ah!" He exclaimed halfway through, his face turning purple.

"Jack, are you ok?" I asked, beginning to worry.

"Pain." He said in a quick gasp. I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"It'll be over soon." I kissed him on his forehead.

"Done." Tomas said, and I looked over. He has sewn up Jack's cut, and I looked very neatly done. "Just one more thing left to do...Jack grab hold of something, this WILL hurt." He said, picking up one of the bottles of rum. Jack held on tighter to my hand, knowing what was coming. Tomas poured the rum on Jack's cut. I knew it would help in the long run, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for Jack, knowing the pain he was in.

"Well, I'm done here. Selesta, if you would come with me over here..." He pointed toward the door. "Do you think you could get Jack to drink those other two bottles?" He said pointing to the rum.

"I'm sure I could, why?" I asked.

"It would help put him out of pain." Tomas said.

"Alright. I'll try." I said as Tomas left the room. I walked back over to Jack, holding the rum.

"What's that for?" He asked, probably scared I would be pouring it on him.

"Doctors orders." I said opening the bottle. "Now, drink." He gave me the strangest look I had ever seen.

"Drink?" He asked. "I'm supposed to drink the rum?"

"Yes, you're supposed to drink the rum. It'll help you out of the pain or something like that." About a half an hour later there was nothing left, but two empty glass bottles, and a very drunk Jack.

"Hmm...you'd hardly know I just went through surgery! I feel GREAT!" Jack said with a laugh, and I couldn't help but laugh, too. He was pretty funny drunk. A few times he had tried to get up to go back to work, but I wouldn't let him. Who knows what would happen to his 'stitches' if he moved around too much. But, he was also a continueous talker. It seemed like everything he said was a thought that he spoke before he knew he was saying something stupid. And by the time he realized he had said something stupid, he had said something even more stupid! So, I decided to try my luck.

"Jack," I asked. "If you could have anything, what would you want?" I didn't really want to know what he wanted most in this world. I just wanted to see what he would say. He was just being to funny!

"Well, when I was thirteen, I decided that all I wanted was love. Then, when I was fourteen, I realized that was stupid, and decided all I wanted was Pirating, because I already had it. And why want something if you don't already have it, because then there is a chance that you'll never have it, savvy?" I laughed, he was rambling again!

"But what about now? You are fifteen. And your wants must have changed a bit." I asked, wondering what he'd say now.

"Aye. My wants have changed, but they're the same, too." He said. "I still want Pirating. That'll never change. But now, I want love again."

"But I thought you said you'd only want something if you already have it?" I asked, confused.

"Whose to say I don't have love?" He said, looking at me.


	11. Chapter 11: The Crew

Walking out on deck the next day, I realized I was still the first up. The sun had just begun rising in the sky, and I walked around, waiting for the crew so I could do something. After about ten minutes, I heard a few people up on deck. My father was the first one I saw.

"Selesta!" He said. "Its nice to finally see you. Almost everyday you're off somewhere with Jack." He meant it nicely, but it reminded me of how bad I felt for him. But I hid my pain and walked over the the group standing with my father.

"Well. I guess I can finally meet you all." I said politely smiling. "In case you didn't guess, I'm Selesta."

The men all smiled, and told me their names. One was Jeffery, but told me to call him Gunner. The next was Neil, and he told me to call him Cat'O'Neil, which I thought was funny, condsidering the Cat'O'Nine Tails. The third was William who told me to call him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill. They all seemed so nice, and I felt at ease right away.

We worked the rest of the day, and eventually I told the men about Jack's surgery. They continuously would ask about the blood.

"No." I would answer every time. "I wasn't scared of the blood!" And they would just smile to themselves. I guess its a guy thing.

I walked around the deck, looking for something to do. Most of the men had everything covered, and there was even someone in the crows nest.

"I thought they were short on crew members." I mumbled to myself. I leaned against the port railing and began singing 'A Pirates Life for Me' in honor of Jack. Bootsrap looked my way and smiled. I smiled back and continued singing. During my song, most of the crew had begun to listen, while doing their work, of course. At the end of the song, they all told me to sing again.

"You liked it that much?" I asked. They nodded, so I began to sing again. After I finished it a second time, I didn't feel like singing anymore, so I looked around for work again. Still none to be found, but I did find Lola at the Helm.

"Lola!" I said when I saw her. Walking up to her, she had a look on her face.

"Is Jack ok?" She asked.

"Yea, he's fine." I answered, wondering why she'd ask. I hadn't seen him since last night, and even then, she was in the cabin last night.

"So did you really make it through Jacks surgery. Even with the blood?" She asked.

"What is it with you people?" I asked. "Every time this comes up, someone asks about the blood!"

"It's just that..." She began. "Well, we..." She seemed at a loss for words. "Its not important right now. I guess we're all so surprised you don't mind. Especailly since I do. They must think all women are scared of blood, I mean after all, most are..." Her voice trailed off, but it sounded like she was hiding something. But I knew Lola was not going to tell me anything, so I let it slide.

I walked back around, talking to the crew. By the end of the night, I had made friends with all of them, and I'd become really good friends with Bootstrap. It turns out that he has a son a few years younger than me.

"Why isn't he on the Pearl?" I asked. We were all done working for the night, and I was on my way to check on Jack. "I mean, you're a pirate after all. And I'm sure he'd like it, too."

"It's not a life I want for him, Selesta." He said, and I understood where he was coming from. A Pirates life was a hard one, and dangerous as well. "I do miss him a lot though. Hardly got to see him when we were in English waters. Now that were in the Caribbean, I wonder if I'll ever see him." I felt so bad for him, and his son. I knew what it was like to hardly see your father. I stopped in front of the Captian's Cabin, where Jack was resting, and turned to Bootstrap.

"Thank-you for being so nice today. I never expected Pirates to be so friendly." I said. He laughed and walked away, down to the bunks.

I walked in the Captians Cabin, knowing Jack would be the only one there. Walking over to his couch, I saw him, sleeping soundly. I brushed his hair out of his face and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind me. Walking back to my cabin, I heard a group of men talking. The group was noisey, and it sounded like the entire crew was there. 

"So, thats what we're gonna do with 'er?" I heard someone say.

"Aye. We spent the day gettin' to know 'er. I like 'er, like a daughter a'course. We'll leave the other like'n to Jack." The men laughed.

"They're quite a pair." Someone else said. "But back to business. Ye sure its right? I mean we have Cannonbell and Lola's input, and Bootstrap's, now. They all say the samething. We goin' with it?"

"Aye!" The men said. I was getting scared.

'What are they talking about? They're talking about a girl, and they have Lola's input, so it can only be me.' I started to run away from the area. I ran to my cabin, hoping Lola wouldn't be there, but she was. I sat on my bed as far away from her as I could get.

"Are you ok?" She asked. I said nothing. "Selesta, what's wrong?"

"What are you all going to do to me?" I still didn't look at her. "I heard the crew talking about doing something to "'er". They said something about you getting your input, so that means they were talking about me." I kept my eyes glued to the floor.

"Look, we all just decided we really like you. We want you to stay on the Pearl for as long as you can! That's all!" I didn't buy it, but something in her voice told me not to worry as much. I finally decided to move, and I climbed into the bed. Without another word, I fell asleep, dreaming of the worst.


	12. Chapter 12: My Name

Two weeks passed since the incident, and I had stored it away in my mind. No one other than Lola knew that I knew about it, and I intended to keep it that way. Jack had finally healed enough to come out on deck, though he wasn't able to work. He would sit on the edge of the ship, and talk to everyone near by. But today, he talked continuously about Tortuga. 

"We're a day's journey away from Tortuga! We'll be walking the city streets by tomorrow!" He said.

"That's great, Jack." I retorted.

"What's wrong?" He said, giving me a pitiful look, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Tomorrow's my Birthday. Do I really want to be in Tortuga for my Birthday?" I was worried. The way I heard people talk about Tortuga had me scared. They would sound excited, but their words didn't match their emotions. Drunks covering every street. Fights and gunshots being the main sound in the air. I wasn't sure.

"Love, you will adore Tortuga. It's in your blood." He glanced over at my father. "He likes it. I know you will."

We worked all day, and I walked down to my cabin after night. Lola was already in the cabin, and I climbed into bed. She laughed at me.

"You know. For an almost Birthday girl, you are awfully quiet. Usually you have some sort of daily news to tell me. None today?" I shook my head. "Worried?"

"Lola, I just don't know about Tortuga." She smiled.

"Don't worry. You'll like it. I'll make sure of that."

'Who knows what she means by that.' I thought, laying down, and drifting off to sleep.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Lola screamed as I woke up the next day.

"Thanks Lola!" I said. I was in a much better mood than yesterday. We both walked up to the deck, only to find the crew waiting for us.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They shouted as we walked on deck.

"Thanks!" I smiled. They were making a big deal out of this.

"Selesta." The Captain walked toward me. "We have a few things we'd like to give ye fer yer Birthday." I was astonished. "First, I'd like to direct yer attention to the shore line. That my'dear is Tortuga." I looked over the starboard side to see land in the distance. It was almost a strange sight; we'd been out to sea so long. "I think the crew'd like to go first." He said.

"Selesta." Barbossa stepped forward. "For yer Birthday, we couldn't get'ya anything special, but we did come up with somethin' we think ye've deserved. Your Pirate name. These names are given to a Pirate by their fellow crew after they have earned them. And your time is here."

Bootsrap stepped forward. "It took us a while to come up with a name. We had a lot of input from the people who know you best- your father and Lola, but we finally came up with your name. Bloody Rose."

"I love it!" I said after he said my name. "Just one question. Why 'bloody'?"

"Well, you said you don't mind blood..." Lola answered, with a smile. Suddenly it all made sense. The other night, they were talking about my name, and they would ask about the blood to make sure it would work!

"Now, we won't call ye by yer name all the time, but ye should learn to answer to it." Someone said, with a laugh.

"Of course! Thank you all so much!" I said.

"Oy. Bloody Rose." The Captain said to get my attention. "Ye know that sword of mine, ye've been practicin' with? Keep it." He said. 

"Really?" I loved that sword, I couldn't believe he was giving it to me!

"A'course. Ye need a sword, an' it's too small for me anyway." He laughed.

"Selesta, Bloody Rose, whatever you're answering to now..." Lola said. "When we get to Tortuga, I'm taking you shopping to get you some more clothes. That's my present for you. And your father's present is paying for the shopping." I walked over to my father and gave him a hug.

"Thanks." I said.

"Sure." He said, unsure of what would be right to say. I laughed, and walked around, trying to find Jack. He was the only one I hadn't seen yet. After a lot of searching, I found him on the port side, talking to Cat'O'Neil. He hadn't seen me yet, and I couldn't help but overhear part of their conversation.

"I can't believe yer doing that, Jack." Cat'O'Neil said, shaking his head. "I mean, It's not like ye have to do anythin'."

"No, I, I want to. I just...It's important to me, ok? Once we get on land, I'm searching Tortuga until I find what I want. No matter what." 

'What is he talking about?' I thought. 'No, I don't want to hear anymore.' "Hey, Jack!" I said, waling closer to him. 

"Happy Birthday, 'Bloody Rose!'." He said, giving me a kiss.

"Wow." I laughed. "You don't know how strange it is having people call you 'bloody'. Wait, Jack. You've been here longer than I have. What's your 'pirate name?' I mean everyone just calls you Jack."

"You really want to know my name?" He asked.

"Of course." I answered. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know.

"Captain." He said simply. "They named me Captain."

"Why would they call you Captain? Because you're the Captains son or..."

"No." He cut me off. "They call me Captain because they are positive that I will be Captain of the Black Pearl someday."

"Well then Captain." I said sarcastically. "When are we getting off this ship? I'm told I can go shopping and, hey, I'm a girl. I'm excited."

"Bloody Rose. We can get off this ship as soon as you want. It's your birthday, and according to the Pirates' Code, you have full authority today."

"Really?"

"No!" He laughed, and I shoved him into the railing. Another day, another wise crack from 'Captain' Jack Sparrow.


	13. Chapter 13: Tortuga

Looking around in Tortuga, I was actually excited. There was music playing from somewhere and all of the people were complete idiots, making me feel really great.

"Ok, Selesta." Lola said. "Over here is my favorite store. They have pants make for women! How great is that!" I laughed. I knew it would be great, but Lola was just so excited that it made the moment even better.

"Cutlass-Lo! How are you? Who's this?" The woman behind the counter squealed as we walked in the door.

"I'm doing great, and this is Cannonbell's daughter, Bloody Rose." Lola said.

"Ooh, Darling! Cannonbell as a father! How nice! What can I do for you ladies today?" The woman bubbled. She was too happy- it was unnatural.

"You have anything new in the back?" Lola asked.

"Yes, yes I do! You're welcome to go on back and look around!" The woman once again bubbled. She was rather annoying. Lola and I walked back and looked around.

"Cutlass-Lo?" I asked, slightly smiling. There was a reason she had never told me about that.

"My old name." She answered. "Call me that and die." She said.

"I don't even want to know. But who is that woman, and why is she so happy?" I asked and picked up a pair of black pants. 'Oh, I like these.' I thought.

"She owns the store, and somehow remembers everyone. Who know why she's so peppy. You like those?" She said, pointing to the pants.

"Yea, I do! They look great!" I said, putting an emphasis on my words. Most of the clothes in the store were too eccentric for me. I really liked these pants- plain, but at the same time, very cute!

"Ok, hold on to them. Look around and see if you can find anything else." 

By the time we were done, I had bought two pairs of pants, black and brown, three shirts, white, blue, and purple, and two vests, also black and brown. I also bought a small leather bag, and another pair of boots, brown. I immediately changed into my new black pants and white shirt, and tossed my other clothes into my bag.

"Let's go." I said, trying to sneak away before the owner could talk again.

"Bye, dear! Come back soon! I hope I can see you again in the near future!" My sneaking didn't work. I turned and smiled at her. Then I walked away, as fast as possible.

"Oh, finally. That woman, ooh. There aren't words to describe her." I said, and Lola laughed.

"Oh, well. Lets go see if we can find everyone else." We walked around and finally stopped in front of a bar. "This is the guys' favorite. You coming?"

"I'll be in later." I answered, staring at a jewelry store across the street.

"Alright, watch yourself, and if you go in that store, don't buy anything. I don't like that man, he creeps me out." She left me outside and I looked harder into the window. I didn't want anything from the store, but I was sure I had seen someone I knew in it. I looked at the people in the store- An old man behind the counter, a fat lady struggling with a too-small-ring, and two men. I know I didn't know one of the men, but the other had his back to the bar. He held up a necklace, a silver heart, and it sparkled in the light.

'Whoever gets that is one lucky girl.' I thought. Then the man turned around, and I almost choked. It was Jack.

I turned around walked into the bar. I found Lola, and stood beside her.

"You go in?" She asked, probably hoping I'd say no.

I shook my head. "No. I didn't, but I saw someone who did."

"What?" She looked at me, confused. "Who?"

"Jack." I said. "Why would he be in a jewelry store? And if you know anything, don't play dumb like you usually do."

"Wow, I promise Selesta. I really wouldn't know about that." Lola, glanced out the window, and looked into the store. He was no longer there. We completely turned away from the group and stared out the window looking for him.

"What are ya looking at?" We turned around to see Jack, staring at us.

"Ooh, uh...nothing. We were just looking for you. We saw that you weren't with the group and um...we just wanted to see if we could find you." I tried to cover.

"Ok, well can I talk to you?" He said, pointing toward the door. I followed him, and we walked outside. "Ok, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday." 

"What? You said that this morning! Is that the only reason you brought me out here?"

"Well, that, and I wanted to give you this..." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. "Here..."

I opened it up, and inside laid none other than the silver heart. My mouth opened and a tear fell down my cheek. It was the most beautiful necklace, and Jack had given it to me.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" I jumped into his arms, giving him a tight hug. "Thank-you!"

"I knew I had to get you something special for you birthday, and I found that, and thought why not. You're worth it anyway." He mumbled, and I looked up into his eyes, speechless. I put on the necklace, and looked down at it, and couldn't help let another tear roll down my face. He pulled me into another tight hug, and we walked back to the bar, still holding each other.


	14. Chapter 14: The Malvagita Nave

We walked into the room and stood with the rest of our pirates. Most of them were drunk by now, and were such a sight to see, laughing and carrying on. We all had a great time until another group came in.

"Oh, look!" The man leading the group said. "Its th' crew of th' Black Pearl. What are ye doin in th Caribbean? I thought ye lily-livers were stayin in English waters." He spat at us, with a slight Italian accent.

"Who is that?" I leaned over toward Jack and whispered.

"Thats the captain of the Malvagita-Nave." He whispered back. "He's chased the Pearl for years, trying to sink her and kill us all. We need to get out of here."

He looked toward his father, who mouthed for us to leave. We snuck out of the bar, and ran for the Pearl. We boarded, and shouted for the few people of the crew that stayed on the Pearl. Barbossa and Bootstrap ran up from the bunks; neither had gone because they werent too fond of rum.

"Whats going on?" They asked.

"The Malvagita's after us." Jack answered.

"Wheres the rest of the crew?" Bootstrap asked. Jack did nothing, but looked toward the ground. We all had realized but now what had happened after we left. A tear fell down my check, and everyone was silent.

"We've got to get out of here before they find the Pearl. All hands on deck!" Jack yelled, taking position as Captian. A few more men ran up, and we began to sail from the harbor, but not fast enough. Just as we left, we saw the Malvagita's Crew begining to board. We worked as fast as we could, desperately trying to move. We had almost traveled far enough to be safe when we heard the sickening sound of firing cannons.

"They're shooting at us!" I yelled as a cannonball ripped through the side of the Pearl. There wasn't much left to do, but we all continued to try. Another cannon tore through the side of the ship, and water began to pour into her side.

"If I can patch that hole, we might stand a chance." Jack yelled. 

"No, Jack. You'd get yourself killed." Bootstrap yelled back.

"Its our only hope." Jack answered. 

"Jack, please, we need you up here, and if anything happens, you could get stuck down there..." I didn't know what to say, but I knew something terrible could happen if he was to go. He turned around to face me, and gave me the biggest kiss I'd ever had.

"I love you. Always remember that." He said, as he ran down the steps. Another tear fell down my cheek as I ran back to work. Suddenly, I heard the sound of three consecutive fires. Two hit the Pearl on her hull, causing even more water to pour through. The third fire was a double cannonball, attached with a chain. It easily tore through the main mast, causing it to fall. It landed on the deck, above the stairs, trapping Jack below. I ran to the staircase, trying to move the mast, but there was nothing to be done. The holes were filling up with water too quickly, and she was almost sunk. I tried everything to move the mast, crying out in agony, but soon Bootstrap pulled me away.

"We have to get off the ship!" He yelled.

"But Jack is trapped! We have to help him!" I yelled, trying to break free from his grip.

"We can't move this mast. If there's a way out, he'll find it. We have to go before the Malvagita gets here." We ran toward the edge of the deck, the water slowly creeping up my calves. We jumped into the water, I by force, and swam to shore. I watched in pain as the Pearl sank down to the depths and Jack along with her. Everything good in my life was gone. My mother, and father. My adventure and freedom on the Pearl. My best friend, Lola. And even the love of my life Jack, was gone. Tears poured out of my eyes as I clutched my silver necklace. 'Captian' Jack Sparrow was dead.


	15. Chapter 15: A Deal

**Thanks to you guys who have been reviewing, I really appreciate it! And to you guys who are reading and aren't reviewing, you should! Good or bad, I really want to know what you think! Ok, now then…after that horribly depressing chapter, here's a bit of light in a sea of darkness…**

**This is actually my favorite chapter because it really gives an explanation of something in the second movie that they never really tell you. Anyway, I'll stop blabbering so you can read! (It starts just before the end of the last chapter…you'll understand when you read it!)**

::Jack's POV::

I tried as hard as I could to move the wood, but It was no use. I took a deep breath of air, and dove into the water building up in the Pearl. I looked around, trying to find a hole big enough to squeeze out, but they were much to small, and the wood too thick to break a larger hole. My lungs began to ache and I felt dizzy. I searched again, practically praying to find a hole I missed, but I slowly began to sink to the floor, and I quickly passed out.

I woke up laying on the deck of some ship. I looked around, and saw a few other men, all as confused as me. Suddenly, out of no where, men began to walk toward us. They were shaped like fish, sharks, and tons of sea things. Then it hit me. I was dead and on the deck of the Flying Dutchman.

I stood up and at once began searching for Davy Jones. I had an idea, but only one chance for it to work. I saw him walking from the water and I gave him the chance to speak first. Davy's men had forced us into a line, and Davy now was walking down it, seeing who all he now could possess. He stopped in front of me and smiled.

"Jack Sparrow." He said. "How in the world did you die so young? Not that I'm not grateful- You'd make a great addition to the crew." He slightly laughed.

"An unfortunate accident." I answered. "But, you can help me to make that right." I said, hoping he ask more.

"What are you talking about, Jack?" He asked in a gruff voice. I almost didn't want to speak, but I knew I'd have to be fast, and unafraid to win.

"Well, Davy. Right now, I'm not but fifteen years old. Even you, mate, would feel bad making a young teen, such as myself, work for you for 100 years. You and I both know you would only give me 50 years."

"I might would have, Jack, but where are you going with this." He seemed annoyed, so I decided to jump to the point.

"I am willing to give you my soul for 100 years, if...if you raise the Pearl from the depths, and give me my life back. I'll be Captain 'til I die, and then I'll come and give you 100 years of service. Think about it mate, that's twice as many years out of me. And you know this is a once in a lifetime chance." Davy stood in front of me, considering my offer.

"No." He finally said.

"Ok, what if I'm only captain for 20 years?"

"Its still a no, Jack." He said, beginning to walk away.

"Fine, then name your price." I said, and he stopped, and turned around.

"Thirteen years." He said. "Not more, and there's nothing you can do to change me mind."

"You're a diamond mate!" I said. "So, when do I get off this ship, and onto my own?" I was smiling, and I stepped out of line. 

"I'll raise the Pearl for you, but not the crew. You'll have to find your own." Davy said, seeing if he could find a sense of objection in my eyes.

"Fair enough." I said. "But I have to ask, did any of the crew survive? You'd be the one to know...You're Davy Jones after all." I said, thinking of Selesta.

"Some." He said.

"Who?" I asked, hoping he'd tell me.

"That's not important Jack, and anyway, its not like it matters!" He said with a laugh. "You can always find a better crew!" He said, gesturing toward his own crew.

"Right, it doesn't matter." I said, knowing she didn't make it.


	16. Chapter 16: Cutler

I kept my head down low as I walked through the streets of Tortuga. Bootstrap walked silently by my side, though Barbossa had disappeared. We were all searching for any bit of the crew that might have survived. We descided to slip up, but I didn't want to be alone, so I went with Bootstrap. I slowly glanced up from my trance and saw small clamor up ahead. I stopped in my tracks and watched the group. Some official looking men were trying to find their way through the streets, and the people of Tortuga were giving them a hard time. It rather funny and I couldn't help but let out a laugh, even with the horrible mood I was in.

"I'm going to keep searching for more of the crew. You coming?" He asked.

"I think I'm going to watch this for a while. I'll find you later." I replied. I watched him walk off, and I looked back toward the men. There were three of them, all in full uniform. Two of them were old, but one was only a few years older than me. He would have been about Lola's age, if Lola was still around. They pushed their way through the crowd, the drunks blocking their way, trying to pick a fight. Soon, they broke through the crowd and stopped in front of me.

"Here's the building. Culter, stay outside. We will finish the business action in here quickly and be out of this hole as soon as possible. Watch yourself carefully around these people." One of the older men said as they walked toward the door of the building I was standing in front of and disappeared inside. The younger one, apparently named Cutler, stood outside near me.

"So, what's an ice cream like you doing in Tortuga?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Get out of my way." He said pushing me into the wall and walking toward the street.

"You don't push me out of the way." I said, my fists clenched. I was in a bad enough mood. I didn't need so frilled, stuck up pig making my day even worse.

"I don't have time to deal with people like you." He snorted, and turned away from me.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Wannabe pirates. I'm looking for the real ones." He laughed, obviously thinking of me as a joke.

"You're looking at one." I retorted, as I unconsciously let my hand move toward the handle of my sword. He laughed and tuned away from me again. I pulled it from it's sheath and put it up the side of his neck. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Put that away before you hurt yourself." He said, monotonously.

"Don't you mean before I hurt you?" I said back.

In an instant, he whirled around with his own sword drawn. I blocked his blow, and we were soon locked in battle. He knew his fighting, and proved to be better than he looked. I, however, learned from the best- a pirate. I knew I could beat him. Suddenly he smiled and took a large step back from me. I followed quickly, but it turned out to be the worst thing I could of done. As I was coming toward him, he pulled some sort of trick I hadn't learned against. I was on the ground faster than I knew what had happened.

"Now, I'll tell you what." He said in a smug sort of voice. "I don't much like the idea of killing a woman, so I'll let you off much easier." The older men looked down at me. They must have just gotten done with whatever business they were doing.

"Cutler! What are you doing to this young lady?" One of the asked.

"She's a pirate- admitted to it herself. Not a bad fighter either." He said. "But just not good enough."

"Well then. I guess we'll just have to give her a taste of justice." One of the men said, as they all laughed.

"You know." I said. "That has to be the worst line I've ever heard." The men glared at me and pulled me up from the ground. They tied my hands behind my back and forced me toward the only 'nice' part of Tortuga. The pushed me into a room, and sat me into a chair.

"What are you doing?" I asked. I really didn't care what they would do to me. My life was already becoming a living nightmare. Death would end it all.

"We're marking you as a pirate, and taking you to Port Royal where you'll get what you deserve." Cutler laughed. "A quick drop and a sudden stop."

"You're marking me as a pirate? How?" I asked.

"With this." One of the men said holding a newly heated brand. It was shaped like a 'P'.

"Oh! That's one of those old fashioned pirate brands! Bring it on." I glared at the men, daring them to say another word.


	17. Chapter 17: You'll Never Forget Me!

"Cutler." One of the older men said. "Would you like to do the honors?" Cutler stepped forward and took hold of the brand. They held my arms down, and he pressed the hot metal against my skin. It hurt so badly I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything but groan in pain. He slowly removed the brand and when I looked down at my lower arm there it was. A 'P' marking me forever as the pirate I was.

"Well, that wasn't so bad." I lied. They glared at me.

"We'll be right back Cutler. We're going to inform the men about this woman we're going to have aboard. Watch her." They walked out of the dark room and Cutler turned back toward me.

"So, what do you think of this 'ice cream' now?" He asked.

"I still think you're a sissy stuck-up jerk who couldn't win a fair sword against a fish."

"Excuse me?" He asked. "I won that fight just as fair as fair gets."

"That trick was not fair. I'm a pirate! Do you really think I wouldn't recognize cheating if I saw it?" I had finally come up with a plan. I would become just like Jack- cunning and persuasive.

"I don't trust you." He said simply, turning away from me.

"Look, can I at least ask you a question." I asked.

"You may." He said, still not turning around.

"Why exactly are you employed with these sticks?" I asked very slowly and gently. You might even say seductively. He turned around and faced me, surprised at my tone of voice.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked slowly.

"Well, you just don't seem much like them." I said.

"I'll have you to know that I am not. I'm destined for much more than Captain." He smiled.

"No, we're not conceited at all are we?" I said slowly, shifting my position in the chair. I could feel my pistol hiding behind my coat. "Well, I'd say right now you have two choices."

"What are you talking about?" He said, looking deep into my eyes. I reached into my coat and pulled out the revolver, pointing it at him.

"One, you can cut these ropes off me, or two, you die." I said with a laugh.

"You're not that heartless." He said. I cocked my revolver.

"You sure?" I asked. "Now then, be a good boy and go get the knife from over there." I put the end of the revolver at his neck and walked him over to the counter. He picked up the knife and cut the bonds around my wrists. He slid them off, but scraped my new brand. "Ahh! Watch the brand!" I said.

"Excuse me." He sighed. I walked farther away from him, toward the door. Stepping outside, I laughed. "Trust me. You'll never forget me- Selesta 'Bloody Rose' Merrigue!"


	18. Chapter 18: New Beginnings

I stepped outside the door and put my gun back into it's hiding spot. Looking up from my coat, I stopped dead in my tracks. There they stood- the two other men. I started to back up, away from them, but they pulled out their swords. They then came at me at the same time. I pulled out my sword as quickly as I could and struggled to block them.

"I should have known this escape wouldn't be that easy." I muttered under my breath. I spun around and continued the fight. They were definitely the hardest of the fights I'd fought. And it didn't help that there were two of them. I wasn't completely sure if I'd live through this fight.

I quickly ducked a potential blow to the head, and I took the opportunity to my advantage. I kicked over one of the men, and punched the other where the sun don't shine. They both fell to the ground and I took off running. I caught a glimpse of them struggling to their feet as I turned the street corner.

"Bootstrap!" I yelled as I saw him walking through the crowded streets. He turned around and must have seen the men chasing me.

"What did you do?" He asked.

"Umm…It's a long story." I stammered. "Please help!" He sighed, and almost laughed.

"You're just like your father, you know that? You just can't stay out of the action." He pulled his sword from his sheath in just enough time to help me block the first blow. Though I had never seen him fight, Bootstrap was really good. I thought for a moment we might have them beat. Then the man Bootstrap was fighting took a step back.

"Don't…" I tried to yell, but it was too late. Bootstrap took a step toward him, and soon found himself on the ground.

"Go!" He yelled. I tried to object, but he just yelled at me again. The second man started toward me again, but I did as I was told. I ran.

At first it didn't seem that they would follow me. But then I saw the worst thing I could have seen. Cutlet had showed up just in time to chase me. I looked around for a place to go, and ran into the closest bar. I quickly ducked into the huge crowd of people and found that he wouldn't be able to find me. After he gave up and left, a pang of guilt ran through me. I had left Bootstrap there alone. He could face death because I didn't stay to help him. I sat down and leaned my head against the wall. A big, angry tear ran down my face. 'Why can't I ever do anything right?' I thought as I wiped the tear away.

"What are ye doin' in here?" I heard. I looked up and saw Barbossa staring down at me.

"Bootstrap got caught by the crown. It was my fault. I should have stayed behind to help…" My voice trailed off as Barbossa sat down.

"Any man who falls behind, gets left behind. Pirates' code." He said, looking out into the distance.

"Still doesn't make me feel any better." I sighed, and I thought about what I would do. I couldn't just stay in Tortuga and do nothing.

"Well, I'm leavin' Tortuga tomorrow on another ship. Ye goin' come? I told 'em ye might." He said.

"Why did you do that?" I asked. "I don't want to come."

"Why not? Ye love the ocean. Ye can't hide it." He said with a laugh.

"I just don't think I can handle it." I said turning my head away from him. He stood up and began to walk away. He stopped suddenly and turned around.

"You'll miss the sea. Mark me words. Ye will miss everything about it." He said slowly. "Ye were meant to be a pirate." I said nothing, and he continued to walk out the door. I slowly stood up and walked toward the front of the bar. A sign caught my attention. _Bar Tenders wanted. _

"I don't guess I have much other choice." I said slowly. I needed to start a new life, one that wouldn't remind me of all the heartache. "Excuse me." I said, catching the attention of the Bar Tenderess. "I'd like a job."


	19. Chapter 19: Out of Tortuga

"Here's your rum." I said placing an extremely large mug on the bar in front of an already drunken man.

"Thanks, doll." He slurred, giving me a stupid-looking smile. "How's about me and you headin' to one of them back rooms, eh?" I sighed. That was the third time _today_ some drunk guy had tried to get in bed with me.

"I'm a bartenderess, not a prostitute." I sighed. "If you want that sort of thing, go talk to that girl over there." I slowly walked away, picking up a few empty mugs along the way. "I hate this job." I muttered under my breath as I handed out refills.

"Selesta." I heard my boss say. He was the only thing I hated worse than the actual job. "There's another group minglin' outside. Go tell 'em to leave." He said coldly.

"Can't you get someone who's a bit more intimidating? No one's going to listen to me." I said.

"I told you to do it, now go!" He said, taking advantage of the drinks I set out. I stepped out from behind the bar. 'I'd rather work for the crown than do this anymore!' I thought as I walked toward the door. I stepped outside and saw a large group of men, all blocking the doorway, though not on purpose. They were all dressed alike, and wouldn't you guess it? They were obviously working for the crown.

"But what are we going to do?" One of the men said. "She's completely disappeared. We can't show up in Port Royal without her. There's not a chance they'd believe she ran off in Tortuga." I couldn't help but listen in. It sounded interesting, and the only real talk I'd heard for two years was the sound of drunken laughter. **(P.S. Just to make sure you get it…Its two years later. She's been in Tortuga for two years working as a Bartendress…and now she's sixteen. Back to the story!)** "We'll have to find a replacement." He sighed.

"Excuse me." I said, speaking up. "I'm being forced to ask you to leave. My boss is a jerk, and he thinks you're going to scare away business." Everyone ignored me.

"But how are we going to find a girl willing to follow Elizabeth around. I mean, yes, she wouldn't have to do much, but no person in their right mind would want to follow around a little girl to make sure she doesn't get in trouble. Don't get me wrong. Elizabeth is not a bad girl, she's just very flighty." I smiled at his saying this. I liked Elizabeth, and I'd never even met her.

"I'd do it." I said to no one in particular. They weren't listening to me, so why not carry on a conversation with them that they didn't even know they were having?

"You would?" They turned around. I guess they were listening.

"Umm. Yes, it sounds like a wonderful job." I stammered. I was surprised that they were paying attention to me.

"What's your name?" They asked.

"Selesta. Selesta Mer…Smith." I lied. Both my father and I were pirates for a while after all. They might know the name Merrigue.

"Ms. Smith. Do you have any experience with taking care of children?" He asked.

"Oh, yes, of course! I took care of my younger brothers and sisters all the time before I left to be on my own." I lied again. "There were four others. My youngest sister, uh, Amelia was four, my brother seven, my other brother, nine, and my oldest sister 13. I'm sixteen." Who knew what age Elizabeth was, so I covered the basics so they would think I knew what to do. There was no way I was working one more day at the bar.

"Well, you'd know what to do then, eh?" He said. "You've heard of Governor Swan that's coming to Port Royal, no doubt." I lied again.

"Of course." I smiled.

"Well you seem right for the job. Just promise me this." He paused. "If anyone asks, we picked you out in England. Not Tortuga." I laughed.

"My lips are sealed."

"Good. Then go grab your things and meet us at the HMS Navigator." I ran into the bar and walked up to my boss, who was now far too drunk to carry on a real conversation.

"I quit." I said, walking away.


	20. Chapter 20: Aboard the Navigator

We sailed all day, and it soon began to get darker. I began watching the sun climbing lower in the sky becoming a plethora of colors, dancing in the glimmering, blue water, bringing back memories that had long been lost in my mind.

It had been two years since I had last been on a ship, and it was comforting to once again be on one. I felt the deck moving beneath my feet. I felt the misty wind blowing through my hair. I closed my eyes and felt the warm sunshine, beating down on my skin. I breathed in, and smelled the familiarity of the salty ocean. A tear fell down my face. I missed this life so much, and wished there was something I could do to get it back. But there wasn't- It was long gone.

Walking around the deck, I stared at my feet. I didn't feel like talking to anyone else, I just wanted to be alone.

"Hey, watch out!" Someone yelled. I looked up just in time to see myself crash into someone else.

"Oh, I'm sorry, excuse me." I stammered. I wasn't really sorry, and I didn't want to be excused, but I wasn't on the Pearl, and I wasn't in Tortuga. I had to be polite.

"Yea, just watch where you're going." He said back. I was surprised. They weren't faking polite, but were almost rude. It was almost comforting to have someone behave that way, it put me at ease, and I felt better. I took a closer look at the person. He looked so familiar, but I couldn't have ever met him before, and he seemed almost as if he were younger than me.

"Have I met you before?" I asked. He looked SO familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on where I'd have seen him.

"I don't think so." He said. "My names Will. Will Turner." I almost choked.

"Will, is that short for William?" I asked. 'Bootstrap Bills son!' I thought.

"Yea." He answered back.

"No doubt named for your father. A name like that would be passed down, wouldn't it?" I asked. I had to find out if he was Bootstraps son.

"Yea. It was my father's name." He answered, staring at me. "How'd you know that?" He asked.

"Oh, i just guessed." I quickly covered. "So, what are you doing here?" I asked. I thought Bootstrap had told me that his son lived in England.

"My mother died." He answered. "So I'm coming to the Caribbean to live with my father. He's a merchant sailor." I sighed. It seemed that lie tended to be passed around quite a bit.

"Oh, I'm sorry. My mother died a few years back. So, my father and I moved down here. Then he was kille..." I stopped myself. "I mean died. He died, too. So now I guess I'm working for the Governor."

"Oh, I'm sorry." He said, still seeming to hang on my words. I could tell he knew what I was really saying, but he didn't ask. "Wait, what's that?"

"What's what?" I asked. He pointed out into the distance.

"That. What's that?" He said again. I looked to where he was pointing. It was another ship, sailing straight at us. A ship with black sails.

"It's not possible." I said under my breath. "The Black Pearl? It's not possible!"

"It's a pirate ship." Will said, leaning on the rail. "Captain!" He yelled running off.

My mind was a whirl wind of confusion, as fog began to appear around us. 'The Pearl sank two years ago.' I thought. 'But that's her. I'd recognize her anywhere.'

"Get away from the rail!" A sailor yelled to me as I heard the sound of the Pearl's cannons. 'I can take care of myself, thank-you.' I thought as I stayed where I was. Will ran back up to me.

"What's going on?" He asked. I could tell it was his first time at sea, let alone the first time dealing with cannons.

"She's firing at us. We have to get off the ship." I said back, eerily calm.

"We could fight!" He cried.

"No, Will. This crew's no match for pirates. We have to get off the ship." I answered back. I ran over to the other side of the ship, and looked for boats. There were none to be found.

"Where are the boats?" I asked no one in particular.

"We don't have any, miss." A sailor stopped to tell me. "It was but a two day journey. We never expected to need any." He seemed scared, but ran off, trying in vain to help. The Pearl was now right on the Navigator's starboard side. I was on the Port, and I glanced up at the Pearl's Crew. I searched for someone that could've been captain, who knows who would be sailing her like this. Will ran up to me, probably just trying to be near a familiar face.

"What are they going to do?" He asked.

"Will, we're going to fight. Just don't expect us to win." I answered. And then it all happened. The Pearl's crew began to board our ship. I pulled my sword from the sheath, and prepared to fight. I saw Will grab a sword from a near-by barrel and do the same. He stood next to me, but we never were given the chance to do much. In a flash, someone walked up behind us, and tied back our hands.

"How easy!" They exclaimed, tossing us toward the main mast. They tied us to it, along with much of the crew. They then proceeded to loot out the rooms and soak the ship with some sort of liquid.

"Good-Bye, my friends. We will not meet again!" Someone shouted. I strained to look at them, and realized who it was- Barbossa.

"Barbossa!" I angrily yelled.

"What?" He turned around, surprised that someone knew his name. "Well, look who it is!" He said. "I haven't seen you since the Pearl sank."

"How did you get her back?" I asked, still in a bit of a daze.

"That's not important, my dear." He said, walking away.


	21. Chapter 21: Elizabeth

"Are you just going to leave me here?" I asked, panic in my voice. I couldn't believe that after everything I had done when I was on the Pearl that he would just let me die like this.

"Well, that would be a bit unfair of me. Alright, you can come with us." He must have felt slightly guilty. I wriggled out of the ropes, and walked toward Barbossa.

"I'll only come if Will can come, too. And if you promise not to touch the crew." I said, standing firm. Although I had only known Will for a short while, I felt a special connection with him since I had been good friends with his father.

"Alright, Selesta." He said with a smile. "Who's Will?" I pointed toward my new friend. He was pulled from the ropes, and forced to walk with us up on deck. I had a feeling Barbossa would twist my words, and I knew no one on the Navigator was very safe. But there was nothing I could do about that. I knew that if I could get him on the ship, we would be able to jump back on the Navigator, and stop what ever Barbossa was planning. Everything would be fine.

"Ok, Will. Here's the plan." I whispered in his ear. "We get on the ship, and wait until they start to sail away. We then jump into the water, and climb back on the Navigator." He nodded his head and looked at me.

"How do they know you?" He asked.

"I'll explain later." I said, knowing what I had gotten myself into. He would tell someone else, and I would be shown for who I really was. In other words, I would end up with the collar. The Pearl began to sail away, and I looked toward Will. 'Ready?' I mouthed. He nodded again. We ran to the side, and jumped over. Mid-Air, I looked over toward the Navigator, only to see her burst into pieces, and begin to burn. I plunged into the water, and searched for Will. He came up at the surface and we swam toward the burning ship, hoping to get away from the Pearl, and to find something to float on.

Swoosh I heard behind me. The crew members were throwing barrels at us. I managed to dodge them until we were out of range, but Will was hit over the head.

I grabbed him and pulled him toward a piece of deck that was floating along the water. I tossed him on it, and climbed on myself. The Pearl was far enough away that it was apparent she was not coming after us. I sat on the wood, thinking.

'Oh I can't believe that liar. Oh, I won't touch the crew. That idiot. Although I guess he technically didn't touch them. I can't believe that backstabbing, lying..." My thoughts were interrupted when I saw another ship, sailing a few feet away from us.

I looked up at it, and saw quite a few men, and a young girl, looking down at us. They heaved us up, and I was extremely relieved to be on a deck again.

"Hello." The girl said, looking at me. "I'm Elizabeth Swan. Who are you?"

"Oh, you're Elizabeth? I was supposed to be coming to Port Royal, to watch over you! My name's Selesta Mer..Smith." I caught myself again.

"Oh, how lovely!" I said. I liked her right away. She was a young girl, with short, curly brown hair and freckles dotting her face. She was very pretty for her age, and she seemed very curious. "Who's that?" She asked, pointing to Will.

"That's Will. Will Turner." I said.

"Elizabeth!" A man said, walking up to us. "May I speak to you darling?" He said, drawing her away, and trying to whisper. He wasn't very good though, so I heard their entire conversation.

"Who is that, Elizabeth?" He asked.

"That's Selesta Smith. They were on their way to Port Royal. She was the one who was hired to watch over me." She whispered. The man looked over at me, smiled, began to walk toward me. I tugged on my sleeves making sure they covered the 'P' on my arm. There was no way I was going to get caught while standing in front of the Governor.

"I'm Governor Swan." He said. "If I may ask, who is the boy?"

"His name's Will Turner." I said, and I told him the story that Will had told me, of his coming to Port Royal. I knew however that his father wouldn't be found, so I lied and told Governor Swan that his father had died in the explosion.

"What explosion?" He asked. I pointed toward the burning ship. No one had noticed it before, and they all began to panic when they saw it.

"Mary, Mother of God!" A man exclaimed seeing the ship. He seemed different from the other sailors on the ship, almost as if he were a pirate. He looked over at me and looked me over.

"Who would you be?" He asked.

"My name's Selesta. Who are you?" I asked.

"Gibbs. Now go off out of the way. Its bad luck to have women aboard and now we have two. With Pirates out there, we don't need you gettin' in the way." Although it was annoying to have men except me to get in the way, I knew he meant well, and I did as he said. As the crew climbed into the boats to search for survivors, I glanced back at Elizabeth. She was standing over Will, trying to take care of him. He suddenly jolted awake.

"It's ok!" She said, cheerfully. "My name's Elizabeth Swan."

"W-W-Will Turner." He stammered out.

"I'm watching over you Will." She smiled, and I walked up behind her.

"We're alright now Will." I said, smiling. He laid back down, once again into his faint. Elizabeth pushed his long hair out of his face and we both saw something golden around his neck. She reached for it, and picked it up. It was a golden medallion, with a skull imprinted on both sides.

"What is that?" I said, to no one in particular.

"You're a p-p-pirate!" Elizabeth stammered.

"Has he said anything?" Someone walked up behind us. We turned around quickly, hiding the medallion behind our backs.

"He woke up long enough to tell me his name, but we already knew that." She said, glancing at me.

"Take him below." He said over his shoulder to the other men, while walking away. We looked closer at the medallion, and I realized that it had to be real gold. I glanced over the rail of the ship and was instantly frightened at what I saw. Elizabeth and I gasped as we watched the Black Pearl sail away into the fog.


	22. Chapter 22: Will and Elizabeth

Elizabeth let out a small scream, and I took a small step back. She turned around and looked at me, her eyes wide with fear.

"Come on." I said, watching the Pearl grow harder to see against the fog in the air. "Let's go check on Will." She slowly took a few steps toward the ladder, turned to take one last look behind, and continued her walk. I followed her down, and we found the crew's quarters where Will had been laid in a hammock.

"Will, are you alright?" I asked, slowly touching his shoulder. He jolted awake, but looked relieved to see my face.

"What all happened after we got off that pirate ship? I can't remember anything." He said slowly and confused. Elizabeth looked at me, here eyes even larger than when she had seen the Pearl.

"You were on that ship?" She asked, her voice shaking.

"What? No, of course not!" I lied, making sure my sword was hidden beneath my skirt, and my sleeve was covering my brand. "He must be delusional. He was hit over the head pretty hard." Will seemed to catch on to what I was doing, though he didn't understand why, and he nodded his head. Elizabeth smiled and she and Will began to talk. They were the about the same age, and they got along extremely well. It was soon as if I wasn't even there, and they wouldn't stop talking about anything and everything that popped into their heads. It reminded me far too much about Jack and I, and I more than once had to hide my tears. Eventually, Elizabeth and I had to leave for bed, and she seemed very upset after we left. We shared a room a bit higher than the crew's cabin's, and it was much bigger than I imagined. There were two beds on opposite sides of the room and it was beautifully decorated with a nautical theme.

"Will seems like a lovely person." She said, her eyes gazing off, her voice sounding dazed.

"You two seemed to bond rather quickly." I said, a bit of humor in my voice. She didn't pick up on my tone of voice.

"He was lovely." He repeated a smile on her face. I laughed, very quietly, and she turned toward me, her smile only growing. "Well don't tell anyone!" He said, her face beginning to turn red.

"Your secret is safe with me." I laughed. She was a very trusting person.

"Thank you, Selesta. I think I'm going to like having you around." She said with a yawn.

"Well, come on. I'm supposed to be taking care of you! Get ready for bed." After she had gotten dressed in her bed clothes, we began to talk about the Pearl.

"Do you know anything about it." She asked. I stared up at the ceiling. The room was almost completely dark, except for one candle sitting on a table between our beds.

"Some things, but not much." I lied. 'I know everything there is to know about it.' I thought in my head. I almost went as far as to say it.

"What all do you know? I've always thought it would be exciting to meet a pirate." She sighed with satisfaction. Today had been a great day for her.

"Captain Barbossa," I began with a grimace. "Is just about the most evil, backstabbing, horrible man you could ever meet." I would have said a few other things, but I was trying to keep it PG for Elizabeth. We continued on about the Pearl and her Captain for hours. Finally Elizabeth fell silent. I thought for a while she was asleep until I heard her voice sounding quiet in the dark room.

"What should we do with Will's medallion?" She asked slowly. I had forgotten about it until now.

"I don't know. I'm not sure if we could give it back to him. He might get rather angry if he knew we took it." I said slowly. I really didn't know what to do.

"He probably won't notice if we keep it." Elizabeth said. I think she was growing fond of the medallion, and she probably wanted something to remind her of Will. I knew she liked him, and it seemed like he liked her, too.

"Then there's our decision. We probably had better get some rest, so I'm going to put that light out." I said pointing to the candle, even though there was no chance she could have seen me pointing even if she wanted to. I stood up and blew out the candle and walked back to my bed. Or so I tried to. I ended up running straight into a wall, and tripping over my shoes, only to land flat on the floor.

"Are you ok?" Elizabeth asked, and I stood up.

"Of course. I'm fine." I slowly walked over to where I thought my bed was and ran my shins into the edge of the wooded framing. I had to hold my breath to keep myself from blurting out the language I'd picked up in Tortuga. I plopped myself into my newly found bed, and pulled the covers over myself. I adjusted my sword and revolver so that they wouldn't get in the way of my sleeping, and I slowly closed my eyes. I had a long day waiting for me tomorrow.


	23. Chapter 23: Break Down

"Elizabeth, wake up." I said slowly, as the sunlight gently pored through the tiny window on the wall. She slowly sat up, and looked at me. I had gotten up just a few minutes before and gotten myself ready for the day. She stepped out of bed, and yawned.

"Morning already?" She asked sleepily. I laughed and nodded. She smiled and looked up at me. "I didn't notice your necklace yesterday." She said. "It's beautiful."

"Oh, thank you." I said, looking down at the silver heart necklace Jack gave me all those years ago. "I've had it for a long time."

"Did you buy it, or was it a gift?" She asked, putting on her dress.

"A friend gave it to me a few years ago." I said, my heart dropping lower in my chest. "For my fourteenth birthday."

"Were you close?" She asked, sitting down to slip her shoes over her stocking covered feet.

"He was my best friend." I said. 'Oh, so much more.' I couldn't help but think.

"He?" Her lips began to curl into a smile as she stood up.

"Yes, he." I said, really thinking about him for the first time in a while. In Tortuga, there was never too much time to think. You were always too busy watching you back, making sure no one was going to start a fight with you.

"What happened?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're talking about him in past tense. Have you not seen him in a while?" Her deep brown eyes gazed into my soul, and I couldn't hold my emotions in any longer. My tears poured out of my eyes, and I collapsed on the cold, hard floor. My breath heaved as I tried to stop, but it was all in vain. "Oh, my, what have I done?" Elizabeth said to herself as she knelt down beside me. "I'm so sorry. I just…" Her voice trailed off; she didn't know what to say. But who really would know what to say to a person who just randomly broke down in tears.

"No, no. Its ok, it's not your fault. I just need a moment." I paused and took a deep breath. "I haven't seen him in years because we went different ways, and we just haven't met back up since." I lied. If she knew he died, she would ask too many questions, and I might blurt out my true identity. "Lets head back up on deck. Knowing you, you probably want to talk to dear William again." I laughed as a deep red color spread across her face.

* * *

"I'm going to be living here?" I asked as I stepped out of the carriage. 

"Of course Miss Smith. Welcome to the Governor's House." A servant answered my rhetorical question.

"If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your room." A maid walked up to me, and motioned for me to follow her. I picked up my bag, and flung it over my shoulder. She walked through what seemed like hundreds of corridors, and by the time I had realized there was no chance of me finding my own way through here on my own, she opened a door.

"These are your chambers." I stepped inside as she opened the dark blue curtains. The sunlight danced across the walls, reflecting from the waves of the ocean as I dropped my bag on the floor.

"It's beautiful." I breathed as I took it all in. The room was much bigger than any bedroom I had ever been in before. There were blues all over the room, and I loved the sight of them. They reminded me quite a bit of the ocean. I couldn't believe that I, a lowly caretaker, would have a room so wonderful as this.

"Now, Elizabeth's room is right across the hall. You do know that you are to cater to her when ever she needs you?" She asked in a I'm-Better-Than-You-No-Matter-How-Nice-Your-Room-Is Voice.

"Yes I do." I answered in the same tone. I waited until she left to put my things away. I carefully opened a drawer to place my clothes in, and found that there were already clothes there. Beautiful dresses lined the wooden drawer, and though they weren't anything too fancy or extravagant, I still loved them. I pulled out my clothes, the old pants, shirts, and vests Lola and I had bought, and hid them under the dresses. I then reached under my skirt and pulled out my sword and pistol. I looked long and hard at them and then placed them at the back of the drawer.

"I guess I won't need you anymore." I said. And I closed the drawer.


	24. Chapter 24: Which Way?

I slowly opened my eyes and sat up from my bed. I stepped over to my window and saw the sun slowly rising from the sky. A bright orange crept through the clouds hanging in the sky as a light blue began to take its own place above. I sighed at the sight of the familiar scene and stepped back to get dressed before I decided to have another break down. I opened the drawer and pulled out a red dress. It was my first choice because of the sleeves- they were long, and I wouldn't have to worry about my brand. I got dressed and pulled my hair into a long braid, falling down my back. I pulled on a pair of shoes that sat against the wall and I took a step into the hallway.

"Now I just have to find Elizabeth. She's just down the hall, but which way? I'll never find her!" I muttered under my breath as leaned against the door way. After a short game of enie-meanie-miny-moe, I decided to walk to the left. I looked at all the doors hoping I would discover unknown psychic powers, but none were found. I did however discover a door with crown moldings all around, and a plaque that said 'Elizabeth' on it. I opened the door and peaked inside. Thankfully, I had found the right room, so I stepped inside.

"Elizabeth. Wake up!" I said, poking her in the shoulder. She grunted and opened her eyes.

"You enjoy waking me up while I sleep, don't you?" She stood up and walked over to her chest of drawers. She pulled out a dress and began to pull it on when I noticed something hanging around her neck. It was Will's medallion.

"Why are you wearing that?" I asked. I didn't have to go any further. She knew what I meant.

"Oh. I don't know. I didn't have anywhere else to put it, so I just decided to wear it." She slowly undid the clasp and hid in a drawer.

"We'd better go on downstairs for breakfast." I said, walking toward the door.

"Alright." She said simply, walking behind me.

"You lead the way. I have no clue where I am." I said while she laughed at me.

* * *

"So, you're going to intern here at the smithy?" I asked Will later that night while Elizabeth was at a fancy dinner. I wasn't invited, so I decided to go talk to Will.

"Yea. I think I'll like it. The blacksmith that's here seems ok, though he never let go of his alcohol bottle." He said with a small laugh.

"I'm sure it will be fine." I smiled, and walked around the room. There were swords everywhere and I couldn't help but stop and admire the work. I slowly picked one up and when I thought Will wasn't looking, I tried it out.

"What are you doing?" He asked as I spun around, the sword still in my hand.

"Um. Just practicing. I learned these skills a few years back, just to be on the safe side." I lied. I knew I had promised to tell him the truth, but I really didn't want to, and he didn't seem to remember that promise. I was a pirate after all- I didn't have to tell the truth.

"Could you show me?" He asked, he eyes lighting up.

"Sure. Just don't tell anyone." I said handing him a sword. "First," I began, imitating how Jack had taught me. "You hold it like this."


	25. Chapter 25: Eight Years Later

**This is very important so listen up. It is eight years later. Yes, I know that is a lot of time to jump, but I didn't know what else to do. So, ha! You'll have to deal with my crazy time jumps. Enjoy!**

* * *

I knocked on Elizabeth's door. It was getting late, and I knew she had to be up by now. 

"Elizabeth, wake up. It's me." I said, knocking on her door again. She opened it up, and pulled me inside. She was still in her bed clothes, and her curtains were closed.

"I dreamed about the night again." She said. "You know, they day I met you and Will."

"Again?" I asked. She had been dreaming of that night quite a bit in the past few weeks.

"Yes. I just have a feeling that something is going to happen..." Her voice trailed off, and she walked over to her drawers. She opened one up. She and I were the only two who knew about that drawer- the bottom of it would lift up, and beneath it she kept the medallion from all those years ago. She showed me the drawer a few years back. She had told me that she felt that she could trust me with anything, and I couldn't help but feel guilty. She would tell my anything, but I hadn't even told her my real last name.

Lifting the bottom, she pulled out the medallion. Though there was hardly any light in the room, it gleamed. She undid the hook-style clasp and hung the necklace around her neck.

"Elizabeth. Are you alright? Are you decent?" We both heard the sound of her father's voice.

"Yes!" She said, stuffing the medallion into her nightgown, and throwing on her robe. "Yes!" She called once again. Her father walked into the room.

"Still in bed at this hour?" He said with a laugh. Two more maids walked into the room and opened the curtain. "Ah, hello Selesta!" He said spotting me. "Have you been here the entire time? I haven't seen you until now!" He smiled.

"Oh, yes." I answered. "I arrived just before you, to wake her up." I said with a small laugh. I pulled down on my sleeve, just to make sure the 'P' was covered.

"Its a beautiful day." He said looking out the freshly opened window. "I have a gift for you." He said to Elizabeth. One of the maids stepped forward with a large box, and he opened it, revealing one of the most beautiful dresses I'd ever seen.

"Oh, it's beautiful!" Elizabeth said, taking it from the box.

"Isn't it?" He retorted with a sly grin.

"May I inquire as to the occasion?" Elizabeth asked. Everyone knew that he was not the sort of man to do anything randomly.

"Does a father need an occasion to dote upon his daughter?" He said with a laugh, but we knew more was coming. "Go on..." He said to the maids. They began to help her into her new dress. "Actually, I had, um, hoped you would wear it for the ceremony today."

"Oh, no here it comes...Commodore Norington." I muttered quietly.

"The ceremony?" Elizabeth asked.

"Captain Norington's promotion Ceremony." He said, purposely turning his head away from Elizabeth. He caught my stare and turned back toward her. I guess he preferred her dirty looks to mine.

"I knew it!" She said angrily, and I didn't blame her. Ever since Elizabeth's eighteenth Birthday, everyone could sense a change of feelings toward Elizabeth from Norington. Everyone knew he liked her, but it was also apparent that she did not like him.

"Commodore Norrington, as he's about to become!" He said, with a guilty laugh. "A fine gentleman, don't you think? He fancies you, you know." He with a small smile, but he received no answer. "Elizabeth? How's it coming?"

"It's difficult to say." She finally said, in an out-of-breath voice.

"I'm told it's the latest fashion in London." He said, in a matter-of-factly.

"Well, women in London must have learned not to breath." She said, and though I tried not to, I laughed.

"Oh, I wouldn't be laughing if I were you. You're comming with me to this Ceremony. There's no way I'm going alone." Elizabeth glared at me and my laugh stopped. "I have the perfect dress you can borrow!" She said in an astonishing evil voice that even the devil himself would have been afraid of.

Half and hour later I stood in front of a mirror, struggling to breathe. Elizabeth had somehow forced me into another corset, and gave me one of her older dresses to wear. I didn't want to go to this ceremony any more than she did, but I worked for her. In other words, I had to do it.

"I guess we'd better go down stairs." Elizabeth said with a satisfied smile. She had succeded in making me as miserable as herself.

"Yea, yea." I rolled my eyes. "Oh, Elizabeth." I caught her as she began to walk out the door. "The necklace."

"We don't have time now. I'll just hide it, and take it off when we get back." We walked down the stairs and saw Will, talking to Governor Swan.

"Ah, Elizabeth you look absolutely stunning. And Selesta, you look beautiful in that dress." Governor Swan said as we managed to walk slowly down the steps in our heels.

"Thank-you, sir." I said, being as nice as I could. Technically, he was the one that got me into this mess.

"Will!" Elizabeth exclaimed, ignoring her father's comment. "It's so great to see you! I had a dream about you last night."

"About me?" He stammered looking surprised. I had become great friends with Will ever since I met him eight years ago. We were just as close as Elizabeth, and I, but I never liked him as more than a friend, and I knew he felt the same. I did know, however, about his love for Elizabeth, and how she liked him all those years ago. I was almost positive she still felt the same way.

"Yes, well, is that entirely proper for you to..." Governor Swan began, but was cut off by Elizabeth.

"About the day that we met, do you remember?" She smiled, their eyes locked and they looked deeply at each other.

"How could I forget, Miss Swan?" He said, and broke their gaze. I sighed. He liked her so much, but was just too shy to say anything.

"Will, how many times must I ask you to call me Elizabeth?" She said, her smile fading.

"At least once more, Miss Swan. As always." He said. I looked at him, catching his eyes. I shook my head, and he looked away.

"There. See, At least the boy has a sense of propriety. Now, we really must be going." Governor Swan said as he began to walk out the door.

"Good-Day Mr. Turner." Elizabeth said coldly, walking past him. I followed but stopped closer to him.

"Will, can't you see? She just wants you to call her Elizabeth! And one of these days you're going to have to tell her the truth." I whispered.

"I can't. We're from different circles. I'm just a blacksmith. And besides, there's nothing to tell, we're just friends." His voice trailed off.

"Will you're impossible." I said, walking away, my old silver-heart necklace glittering in the sunlight.


	26. Chapter 26: The Ceremony

Walking around after the ceremony, Elizabeth and I struggled with our outfits.

"I swear, after this is over, I'm going to rip this thing into shards." I whispered as we tried not to faint from lack of oxygen.

"Do mine as well." She said back. "Great, there's Norington."

"I suppose we should go talk to him. Congradulate him or something." I said, flatly. I didn't want to go talk to him at all. I had never really liked him. He was nice and everything, there was just something about him I didn't like.

"I suppose so." She said, neither of us moving.

"After you." I said, taking a step back.

"What? Why me first?" She asked, her eyes fixed on me.

"He likes you more!" I said. It was the truth after all. But it turned out neither of us had to move- he walked over to us.

"Uh, may I have a moment?" He said to Elizabeth, ignoring that I was there. 'Oh, now I remember why I don't like him. He's so inconsiderate for everyone but himself. Selfish little pig.' I thought.

As they walked off, I positioned myself behind a column, so that I could watch them without them seeing me. I couldn't quite hear their entire conversation, but I could tell Norington was stammering pointless noise from the hole in his face, and Elizabeth was having more trouble than ever breathing. Suddenly, as Norington looked away, Elizabeth fell in a faint over a wall and into the ocean.

"Elizabeth!" I said, running over to where she fell. As I ran over, Norington noticed she fell, and began to attempt to jump.

"Sir, the rocks! Its a miracle she missed them!" A soldier ran to stop him. Quickly, realizing he had a point, I ran down to the dock, only to see a man dive into the water. I watched helplessly as he swam toward her, and tried to pull out of the water. Her dress, however, weighed her down, and they began to sink. He ripped the dress off of her, and began to once again swim toward the surface. Suddenly, a large ripple ran accross the top of the water, and the wind began to pick up. She placed her on the dock and I ploped down next to her.

"She's not breathing!" Yelled a soldier standing near us. I quickly fumbled with the laces on her corset, but they were too tight for me to untie.

"Move." The man said simply. He pulled a knife from his pocket, and cut the strings off. Elizabeth sprung awake, and coughed out a mouthfull of water.

"Thank-you!" I said, finally looking at the man who had saved her. He looked oddly familiar. He looked up at me and nodded his head. He continued to stare at me, as if he was trying to figure out who I was, but then shook his head and looked back toward Elizabeth. Because her dress had been ripped off, her necklace was now hanging visibly from her neck. He picked it up and stared at the medallion.

"Where did you get that?" He asked, and I realized that I had heard his voice before. I knew that I had to know him, but I had no idea how.

"Who..." I began, but I was cut off by the ugly, selfish pig.

"On your feet." He said, pointing his sword at the man.

"Are you alright?" Governor Swan said, helping his daughter to his feet.

"Yes, I'm fine." She answered. He looked over toward the soldiers and found one of them still holding Elizabeth's corset. The soldier pointed to the man and quickly put the corset down on the dock. Governor Swan shook his head.

"Shoot him!" He said, as he and I checked Elizabeth to make sure she was alright.

"Father! Commodore, do you really intend to kill my rescuer?" She protested.

"Well." Commodore said, putting down his musket. "I believe thanks are in order." He held out his hand to the man. The man reluctantly shook his hand, and the Commodore grabbed his sleeve, and pulled it back to reveal a 'P' branded on his wrist. "Had a brush with the East India Trading Company, did we, pirate?"

"Hang him." Governor Swan said, glaring at the man. I turned my head. It was always hard for me when the government found a pirate, since I had once been one myself.

"Keep your guns on him, men. Gillette , fetch some irons." He said, pulling back his sleeve even more. "Well, well? Jack Sparrow, isn?t it?" I turned back around, and looked at the man. 'It is Jack!' I thought. 'That's why he looks so familiar! But I thought he was dead!' I couldn't move. Jack noticed me staring at him, and once again stared at me.

"Captain Jack Sparrow , if you please, sir." He said, still looking at me.

"Well, I don't see your ship, Captian." Norington smirked. I almost wanted to hit him over the head- hard. But I didn't.

"I'm in the market as it were." He said, turning from me.

"He said he'd come to commondeer one!" One of the soldiers said. "These are his, sir!" Said the other, handing the Commodore a gun, sword, hat, and compass.

"No additional shots nor powder. A compass that doesn't point north." Norington laughed and unsheathed Jack's sword. "And I half expected it to be made of wood. You are without doubt the worst pirate I've ever heard of."

"Ah! But you have heard of me!" He said, and I hid a laugh. He looked my way and smiled. He had to realize by now that he knew me. The soldiers began to pull Jack off the dock, and put him in chains.

"Commodore, I really must protest!" Elizabeth ran after them. "Pirate or not, this man saved my life."

"One good deed is not enough to redeem a man of a lifetime of wickedness." Commodore said, turning away from her.

"Though it seems enough to condemn him." Jack said.

"Indeed." Commodore said in a bored tone, and walked away. The man putting chains on Jack finished and followed Commodore.

"Finally!" Jack exclaimed wrapping his chains around Elizabeth's neck.

"Jack, Let her go!" I yelled, stepping closer to him.

"Now, darling. You may look familiar, but you've no more of a right to tell me what to do than anyone else on this dock. Savvy? Commodore Norrington, my effects, please, and my hat." No one moved. "Commodore!" He persisted. Commodore handed Jack's effects to Elizabeth and took a step back. "Elizabeth . It is Elizabeth isn't it?"

"Its Miss Swan." She said, angrily.

"Miss Swann , if you'd be so kind. Come, come, dear. We don't have all day." She strapped his sword around his shoulders and placed his hat on his head. "Easy on the goods, darling."

"You're disicable!" She exclaimed.

"Sticks and stones, love. I saved your life, you save mine, we're square. Gentlemen, m'ladies, you will always remember this as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!"


	27. Chapter 27: Under Attack

Though I'm not sure how, Jack managed to escape from dozens of soldiers constantly firing at him. For members of the King's army, they had the worst aim I had ever seen. While the rest of the soldiers chased him around Port Royal, Elizabeth, Governor Swan and I went back to the mansion.

later inside

* * *

"You sure did act like you knew that pirate." Elizabeth said, after she had gotten dressed and everyone left. 

"I didn't really." I lied. "I just figured everything would go more smoothly if we were calm."

"But you weren't calm! You seemed like you were a million miles away!" She said, though she didn't sound afraid or angry. She just seemed normal, as if nothing had happened.

"I'm sorry. I guess it was the corset." I mumbled out an excuse. "I'm still a bit dazed from it." I said sitting down.

"Well, don't worry about it now. I'm sure they'll catch him!" She smiled trying to make me feel better, but I only felt sick to my stomach. She was right. They would probably catch him and he would face the gallows.

* * *

That night, there was a strange feeling in the air. A storm had come from no where, and was now roaring outside my window. I walked down the hall and opened the door to Elizabeth's room. Estrella, a maid, was just walking out, so I knew Elizabeth would be sleeping soon. Her father was off at the fort, talking with Norington, so I knew I'd be the last to disturb her. As I stepped in her room, I heard a strange sound comming from outside. Elizabeth and I both ran to her window, and saw a ship firing on Port Royal. But it wasn't just any ship, it was the Pearl. 

"Its the ship we saw on the crossing from England!" She exclaimed. 'What are they doing here?' I thought, and I couldn't help but think Jack had something to do with it.

"I don't know." I said, my eyes glued to the ship, her guns constantly lighting up the sky, her sound polluting the silence of the night. We saw a group running toward the gates of the mansion. Looking closer, we saw that they were pirates. They headed for the front door, and we ran toward the stairs, to warn everyone what was happening. But, we were too late, the butler was already opening the door.

"Don't!" Elizabeth yelled, but he had already done it.

"'Ello, Chum!" One of the pirates spat, shooting the butler. Elizabeth let out a scream, and I put my hand over her mouth, pulling her up the stairs. "Up there!" Shouted one of the pirates, obviously hearing her scream.

We ran to her room, trying to escape, but we were on the second story- there was no escape. I locked the door and looked for something to hit them with. Elizabeth picked up her bed-warmer, but I found nothing, so I settled for my fists. They hammered the door down in no time, and ran straight for us. Elizabeth swung her 'weapon' at the closest one, hitting him on the head. She aimed at the second, but he caught it, keeping her unable of doing anything. I ran toward him, and punched him in the face, as hard as I could. He let go of the bed-warmer, just long enough for Elizabeth to drop it's contents, hot coals and buring ashes over him.

"It's hot! You burned me!" He yelled as we raced out the door. We ran down the stairs, the pirates close on our heels. Soon, we were trapped. I once again tried to punch, but this time they stopped me.

"That won't work again, Poppet!" One of them laughed, shoving me against the wall. I slowly slipped into the darkness as I watched Elizabeth run.


	28. Chapter 28: The Escape

I gained consciousness as the sun began to rise in the sky and I glanced around the mansion. Everything was torn into pieces, and anything of any value was gone. I slowly stood up, and began to search for Elizabeth, but she was no where to be found. I ran into Estrella, and she seemed really upset.

"Elizabeth! She's gone! They took her!" She cried.

'I have to help her.' I thought. I knew Barbossa was heartless man to anyone other than a pirate, and Elizabeth wasn't a pirate. I was though, and I used to know him well. But I knew I would need help. 'Who?' I thought. But then it hit me. There was one person that would definitely come. 'Jack!' I smiled.

I ran upstairs and dug through my drawers. Going straight to the bottom, I pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt. I had always kept them in case of an emergency, and it was finally time to use them. I pulled them on, and then reached back down in my drawer. I then pulled out my sword. It was the same sword I had used all those years on the Pearl, the sword that Captain Joseph Sparrow had given to me. I strapped the sheath to my belt and put my dress on over it all. I didn't want to attract a lot of attention in the streets, so I figured I'd wear it for now. I then pulled out my pistol- It was still loaded. I hid it under my dress and finally remembered the feeling of being dressed as a pirate. I ran down the stairs, and out the door. I didn't stop until I got to the jail, my feet going as fast as they could, my necklace bouncing against my neck. When I stood outside the door, I rested. After I had gotten my breath, I took a step inside the door. I snuck down the stairs to the cells and glanced around, for guards. There were none to be found. With one loud whistle, the guard dog came, and I had the keys in no time.

I began to search the cells for Jack. Most of them were empty, but I heard talking coming from the opposite corner. I quietly turned around, and walked the other way. Looking down at the keys, I searched for the right one. Will had told me about how they would have one key for all the cells and clearly mark it 'cells'. I of course believed him when he told me, with his profession, but I never thought about it until now. I finally found the 'cell' key, but of course it was the last one I checked. I grabbed the key and once again looked up, only to see Will standing with a wooden bench pressed up against one of the cell doors.

"Will!" I said. I was in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked, pointing to the keys in my hand.

"What, oh, nothing." I said, trying to hide the keys behind my back. "I was just, uh. Well... Hey, what are you doing with that bench?"

"He's breaking me free, love. Now, if you'll just be quiet, I'd love to get out of here." Said a voice from inside the cell.

"Jack." I said almost as if I were asking a question. He looked at me, but he seemed disoriented.

"You again?" He said, confused. "Who are you?" He didn't seem to care about getting out as much as before.

"What? You don't recognize me?" I said in a sarcastic tone.

"Should I?" He asked. I ignored him, knowing we would have to get him out of here without telling him who I was. He would ask too many questions and I didn't want to explain them while we were running.

"Will, really what are you doing?" I asked. He hesitated and I knew he was doing the same thing I was. He knew Jack could take him to rescue her. "You thought Jack could help you save Elizabeth! So did I."

"But why would you try..." He began, but I cut him off.

"She's my best friend, Will." I answered.

"No, not that. Why would you sail with pirates? I mean you can't sail..." He said, but he stopped when I began to glare at him.

"Look. It's a long story, but I'll tell you once we get Jack out of here." I said. I guess it was finally time to keep that promise I made. There was pure venom in my voice and no one was going to disagree with me.

Will pushed the bench against the cell door, and it came right off it's hinges.

"Hurry. Someone will have heard that." Will said, turning to leave.

"Not without my effects!" Jack retorted. He Grabbed his things off a hook and ran after Will. I ran up after them, ripping off the over dress, and sneaking off toward the port.

"That's the one!" Jack exclaimed as we hid behind a wall.

"We're going to steal the ship. That ship?" Will asked.

"Commandeer. We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term. One question about your business, boy, or there's no use going. This girl? How far are you willing to go to save her?" Jack asked, as if I weren't there.

"I'd die for her." Will answered. He sounded so heroic, and I was feeling proud.

"Oh, good! No worries then." Jack said, turning back toward the ship. He then glanced at me. "Where did that come from?" He asked, pointing toward my sword.

"You tell me." I said. He turned back toward the ship, and began to walk.

* * *

A few minutes later, we stood on the bottom of the port, underwater. We had gotten under a small boat, and were walking toward our 'prey'.

"This is either madness or brilliance." Will said, shaking his head.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide." Jack said, but it was far too true. When we stood near the ship, we let go of the small boat and swam up to her.

"Everyone stay calm, we're taking over the ship!" Jack shouted once we climbed on her deck. We all drew our swords.

"Aye! Avast!" Will yelled. Both Jack and I looked back at him with glares.

"This ship cannot be crewed by two men. You'll never make it out of the bay." One of the better dressed men laughed.

"Excuse me?" I said, bringing my sword closer to his face. "There are three people here." He laughed, not taking me seriously.

"Son. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?" Jack cocked his pistol and pointed it at him. Needless to say, it wasn't long before everyone was off the ship.


	29. Chapter 29: On the Interceptor

"Quick, Will come with me, I'll teach you what to do. And you." Jack said, looking at me. "Since I don't know who you are, and you obviously don't plan on telling me anytime soon, just stand at the helm and try not to crash her into anything. Savvy? You do know what the helm is, don't you?" I walked over to it, and turned her in the right direction, glaring down at Jack. "Good, keep that up. But you may want to get rid of that glare. Its not a very pretty look on you, love." Jack walked over to Will and began to teach him how to sail.

Looking over the Dauntless's stern, I saw them coming after us. The ship's name, written on her side, was The Interceptor.

"Here they come." Said Will, also noticing the ship. Jack smiled, and began to put his plan into action.

* * *

"Search every cabin, every hold, down to the bilges." Commodore yelled as Jack, Will, and I swung to The Interceptor. We cut the ropes from her, and began to sail away. It was a great plan Jack had thought of. The Dauntless was much too big to sail on our own, but we could manage on the Interceptor. "Sailors, back to the Interceptor! Now!" Commodore yelled as he noticed her sailing away.

"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way. We'd have had a hard time of it by ourselves." Jack laughed as we sailed away from The Dauntless. We were too far from her for them to get back to us. They then decided to shoot, but we were also too far for that. "Ah! Good thing I disabled the rudder change, eh?" Jack said, waving back at Commodore Norington.

* * *

"When I was a lad living in England , my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father." Will told his story. I had resorted to sitting on the deck, staring up at the sky. There wasn't much I could do, and I still hadn't told Jack who I was. I was too scared. Scared that he wouldn't remember me, or that he would hate me for not helping him when he was stuck on the Pearl.

"Is that so?" Jack said, pretending to be interested in Will's story.

"My father, Will Turner. At the jail, it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter. I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father." Will said, and my ears perked up here. I knew what was coming.

"I knew him. Probably one the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill." Jack said, and my heart almost stopped. I knew what it was like to discover a lie like that.

"Bootstrap?" Will questioned. I looked up at them, wondering how the rest of the conversation would go.

"Good man. Good pirate. I swear you look just like him." Jack said, looking out into the sea.

"It's not true. He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law." Will stared at Jack, not wanting to believe the truth.

"He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag." Jack said, with a hint of humor in his voice.

"My father was not a pirate!" Will said, drawing his sword. I knew it was time for me to get involved, so I stood up and began to walk up the stairs.

"Will stop! He's telling the truth. I knew your father, and we were really close. I know it's hard to take in. I was told the same lie, but your father was a good man, and a good pirate." I said, quoting Jack. Will stood where he was, not moving and not putting his sword away.

"Put it away, son. It's not worth you getting beat again." Jack said. He looked at me questioningly, but looked away again.

"You didn't beat me. you ignored the rules of engagement. In a fair fight, I'd killed you." Will said, his anger taking over him.

"Then that's not much incentive for me to fight fair, then, is it?" Jack said. He suddenly turned the helm, moving the sail, and forcing Will to hang over the port side of the ship. "Now, as long as you're just hanging there, pay attention." Jack said smiling.

"Jack!" I said. "Let him back!"

"I'll say this again, love." He said turning toward me. "I don't know who you are and I'm not taking orders form people I don't know. Now then, William." He said facing Will who was struggling to keep from falling. "The only rules that really matter are these- What a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday. Now, me, for example, I can let you drown but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesy, savvy?"

"You wouldn't be alone Jack. I'm here. I know how to sail." I said quietly.

"So." Jack said, ignoring me. "Can you sail under the command of a pirate? Or can you not?" Jack finally turned the Helm and let Will back on the deck.

"Tortuga?" Will asked.

"Tortuga!" Jack said. "Now then. You, love. You said you can sail. Who are you? If you'd just answer my question, it would make this so much easier." He stared at me.


	30. Chapter 30: Who are you?

**Before I get on with one of my favorite chapters, I'd like to take the time to thank my reviewers (and put off your reading even longer...) Crowned Black Hearts .pub, you rock for being my first reviewer, and you get a sentence all to yourself! me-heart-long-4-ye-SPARROW, SparrowsVixon, and MrsSparrow11 get another sentance for themselves because they all have Sparrow in their names! ohbugger7, WanderingPirate, and Silvia X get a sentence because they are the next three in chronological order. (Actually, all of this is in chronological order, but oh well!) Then WalkingInDarkness737, pirate.of.the.past, iccy, and Snuffles-sweetie. Afterward came Brown Eyes of an Angel, Lydia Sparrow (I friggen loved your review!), Jack Sparrow's Pirate Chick, WhiteTiger1992, and PadFootCc. Thanks to all of you guys for reviewing! I really appreciate it! I (as you probably have figured out) try to get my chapters out as fast as I can, so the next one (which I'm having a bit of trouble writing...grrr. I hate writers block.) will probably be out by tomorrow! Thanks again!**

* * *

"I...I..." My voice faded, and I dropped my head. I didn't know what to say. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he took a step closer to me. He reached out, and picked up my necklace. 

"Wh...w...where did you get this?" He stammered, looking into my eyes.

"From you. Ten years ago on my birthday." I said.

"Selesta?" He asked. I nodded. "But I thought...I mean...But you..." He stopped.

"You thought I died that day on the Pearl?" I finished his sentence. "I thought you did, too!" He pulled me into a tight hug, and we stood there for a while, just enjoying each others embrace.

"What's going on?" Will asked, not understanding what was happening.

We laughed, of course he didn't understand.

"Will. Do you remember that day that the Navigator was sunk by the Black Pearl? And I said that I would explain how I knew Barbossa and I never did. Well, I used to work on the Pearl." I said, as he stood there. "I was a pirate." I paused, pulling up my sleeve and revealing the 'P'. Jack looked down at it and frowned.

"So you were branded, too." He sighed.

"Yea. By some jerk named Cutler." I said.

"Same here. But don't worry, I left my mark on him as well." He said with a smile. "A heated sword will go a long way." I laughed, glad that Cutler got what was coming, but then I got back to explaining everything to Will.

"Barbossa was the first mate when I worked on it, and the Captain was Jack's father. I knew Jack years ago, and we were about at close of friends as you could get."

"Friends. Thats funny!" Jack laughed. "William, we weren't friends. We were much, much more than that." He looked at me seductively and laughed. "I mean, she still wears that necklace I gave her!" I laughed.

"Well, Jack, now you know. And I expect an apology for they way you treated me earlier!" I said.

"Pardon me, Miss Selesta, for treating you like you weren't a pirate. But really, why wouldn't you just tell me who you were?" Jack asked.

"I don't know." I said, walking toward the edge of the deck. "I guess I was just scared."

"Scared of what?" He asked walking toward me. "Will, take the helm." He stood next to me as he used to do all those years ago.

"I was scared that you wouldn't remember me or that you would hate me for not helping you back on the day the Pearl sank. I mean, I tried everything I could but I..." My voice stopped as I tried to hold back tears.

"Before I went down there, I told you I loved you and to never forget that. Sounds like you did forget." Jack said, stepping closer to me. He leaned down, just a few inches from me. "I could never hate you." He leaned in closer, obviously trying to kiss me.

"Is that Tortuga?" Will shouted before Jack had achieved.

"What? Yes, that's Tortuga." Jack said, aggravated. "That boy's more trouble than he's bloody worth, I didn't even kiss her." He mumbled as he walked away. I couldn't help but smile. He was still the same old Jack.


	31. Chapter 31: Leaverage

We arrived in Tortuga not long after and we pulled into the dock. Looking around, I was surprised to find that I still knew how to get around. Not much had changed, but it was much more crowded that I remembered.

"More importantly, it is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep this sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga , savvy? What do you think?" Jack concluded after telling Will all about Tortuga.

"It'll linger." Will said, looking around. There were people everywhere. To the left, a man drinking from two mugs- At the same time. To the right a woman was beating the crap out of a guy with an old guitar, and all around there was the sound of gunshots and music.

"I'll tell you mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted." Jack smiled.

"Excuse me?" I said. Jack frowned.

"Not like that, Selesta." He said. "What I mean, is that everyone is so friendly, you..."

"Whatever, Jack." I sighed. 'Ok,' I thought. 'So maybe he is a bit different.'

"Scarlett!" Jack said as a woman walked up to him.

"Who's she?" She said, pointing to me. But Jack didn't have time to answer. She slapped him across the face and pranced away.

"Not sure I deserved that. Giselle!" He said, as another woman walked up to him.

"What was that?" She asked, pointing to Scarlett. Again, Jack was slapped, keeping him from answering.

"Who were they?" I asked, my eyes fixed on Jack.

"What? Oh, they're just good friends of mine. I had a little thing with them a while back. But nothing came of it. Never even kissed 'em. I couldn't. It only made me think of you. They both still think they own me." Jack said quickly. I didn't buy it for a minute.

"Jack, just stop. You're the worst liar ever." I said aggravated, and walked away.

'I can't believe he's lying to me like this. I don't care if he dated them! I care that he's lying to me like this!' I thought, walking toward the pub I knew best. The one I worked in for years, and even lost my friends and family in. Jack followed me in and grabbed my hand.

"We need to talk." He said.

"No we don't." I said, pulling away.

"Why won't you believe me?" He persisted.

"Jack, first you try to kiss me, then you start lying. I don't know what to believe." I finally turned around.

"I need you to trust me, or this plan will never work." Jack said seriously.

"What plan?" I asked as Will came through the door.

"I need you to let me know if you're going to trust me first. Because if you can't trust me, I'm not sure if I can trust you." Jack said, looking down at me.

"Alright. I trust you." I said, not really sure if I did or not.

"Good. Then come with me." He turned and walked outside. Grabbing three buckets, he filled them up with water and handed each of us one. "Follow me!" He walked back into the pub and went to the back, where a pig pen was kept and was filling the room with stench. I looked inside the pen, and saw a man lying on the floor with the pigs. Jack tossed his bucket of water on the man and he jolted awake.

"Curse you for breathing, you slack-jawed idiot!" He yelled. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. It's bad luck." I looked at the man. He seemed familiar.

"Ah, fortunately I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping, a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking." Jack said, leaning down to the man.

"Aye, that'll about do it!" He was excited at the sound of a drink. Jack stood up and Will threw his bucket of water on the man. "Blast! I'm already awake!"

"That was for the smell." Will said simply. We all nodded, and the man stood up. 'Great, now I'm stuck with this thing. No way am I going to keep this.' I threw it on the man.

"What in blazes was that for?" He glared at me.

"I'm not carrying around a bucket full of water! Besides, you still smell." I said, as the man laughed. We walked into a tavern, were Jack and the man sat down.

"Keep a sharp eye." Jack said to Will. He stood at the door, looking out into the crowd.

"Now, who are you?" The man looked at me. "You seem familiar."

"As do you." I said. "My name's Selesta."

"Gibbs." He said.

"Oh, Gibbs! The Dauntless. That was Will and I that were in the water ten years ago!" I said, smiling.

"Oh, that's why you both seem familiar. Now, what's the nature of this venture of yourn?" He said to Jack as he took a drink of his rum.

"I'm going after the Black Pearl." Jack said, as Gibbs choked on his drink. "I know where it's going to be, and I'm going to take it." Jack sat still and smiled.

"Jack, it's a fool's errand. Why, you know better than me the tales of the Black Pearl." Gibbs shook his head.

"That's why I know what Barbossa is up to. All I need is a crew." Jack said, as if he knew Gibbs could get one together.

"From what I hear tell of Captain Barbossa, he's not a man to suffer fools, nor strike a bargain with one." He said. We all knew he was falling and would go soft. Jack always did have the gift of gab.

"Well, then I'd say it's a very good thing I'm not a fool then, eh?" Jack laughed.

"Prove me wrong. What makes ye think Barbossa will give up his ship to you?" He took another drink. 

"Let's just say it's a matter of leverage, eh?" Jack said, nodding toward Will.

"What?" I said. Jack smiled at me.

"Trust me. It's all about trust." I didn't understand. What was he going to use Will for?

"The kid?" Gibbs asked. He didn't understand either.

"That is the child of Bootstrap Bill Turner. His only child, savvy?" He smiled and Gibbs laughed.

"Is he, now? Leverage, says you. I think I feel a change in the wind, says I. I'll find us a crew. There's bound to be some sailors on this rock crazy as you." Gibbs said, raising his drink.

"One can only hope. Take what you can?" Jack said, raising his drink as well.

"Give nothing back!" Gibbs laughed and the drinks were gone. But I couldn't do anything but worry for Will. What was Jack doing?


	32. Chapter 32: The Story

Walking around in the morning, I stood outside, waiting for the sun to rise. Pink began to ink into the sky, dancing on the horizon mixing with the dark, star-filled night. The colors reflected off the cool, morning waves, crashing to the shore. The foam changed colors, fading and reforming as I heard the sound of heavy foot prints behind me. I turned around and saw Jack walking toward me.

"Just like old times, eh?" He smiled.

"Yeah." I said, still staring into the sky. An orange came and mingled into the pink in the sky. It looked just like a collage.

"Do you want to know what's going on?" Jack asked.

"Yes, I do!" I said. It was like he was reading my mind.

"Just promise me you won't get all upset." He said. I was confused, but I nodded my head.

"Eight years ago on the Pearl, I was Captain. It's too long of a story to explain that, but it's not important anyway. Now, the Malvageta was after us again, and we finally turned and fought her. It turns out we won. Before we 'got rid' of the Captain and crew, I gained a bit of knowledge about some treasure." Jack paused. "Being a pirate, I couldn't pass it up."

"What was it Jack?" I asked.

"The treasure of Cortez. The Captain knew of it's where-abouts, and I was able to get it from him through some 'negotiating', you might say." He said with a smile..

"What happened?" I knew there was some point to this story.

"Because Barbossa was the First Mate when me father was Captain, I made him First Mate again. He came to me that night, saying that everything's an equal share, and that should mean the location of the treasure. I told him." There was pain in his voice.

"What did he do?" I said slowly.

"That night, that night, right after I told Barbossa the information he wanted, they decided they didn't need me anymore. They threw me in the brig, and kept me there for days. One day they came down and pulled me up on deck. We were not too far from a deserted island. They marooned me there. Nothin' but my sword and a pistol with one shot. I kept that shot all this time" He said, looking down at his pistol.

"Saving it for Barbossa, eh? Last time I saw him he left a bit of business with me unattended to." I sighed. "Anyway, what did you mean last night about leverage? I mean, Will has nothing to do with your revenge!"

"That treasure, Cortez's, some of it was cursed. A stone chest, filled to the brim with 882 gold medallions. Pure gold, a skull on both sides." Memories flashed through me head. 'Will had a medallion like that.' I thought.

"Any man that would take one piece, would be cursed and would be unable to die. Every man on that ship, save for myself, was cursed and still is."

"But how does Will come into this?" I knew he had the medallion, but he didn't take it, 'he wouldn't be cursed, would he?' I thought.

"To end the curse, each medallion needs to be put back into the chest, and blood repaid. Bootstrap took a piece as well." Jack said, but I cut him off.

"So he did escape from Cutler!" I said under my breath.

"What?" He asked.

"Oh, nothing. Go back to what you were saying." I said.

"Well, Bootstrap took a piece. But from what I heard, he stood up for me after the mutiny. Barbossa didn't like that, so he somehow got rid of Bootstrap. After that, they realized they needed Bootstrap's blood to lift the curse. William is Bootstrap's only son." He didn't need to go any further.

"So you're going to trade his life for a ship!? Jack, the Pearl is great, but she's not worth that!" I yelled at Jack.

"No, no, no!" He stopped me. "I told you to trust me! I have a plan and in the end, we will get both Will and the Pearl. Oh, and your friend that they have, too."

"What do they want with her?" I asked.

"I don't know, love. I don't know." They sun had finally appeared in the sky.

"So you're sure you know what you're doing?" I asked.

"Love. I always know what I'm doing." He leaned down and once again attempted to kiss me.

"Captain!" Gibbs voice sounded behind us.

"What!?" Jack turned toward him angrily.

"I've gathered up a crew." He said, a bit of humor in his voice.

"Great, thanks." He said, walking away. "What's it take to get a little bit of time around here..." He mumbled. Guess that kiss will just have to wait again.


	33. Chapter 33: New Crew

We followed Gibbs out to the port and found a line of men waiting for us. On the way, my stomach growled. 'Don't you people ever eat?' I thought. I looked over at Jack standing, facing the men, holding a banana.

"Where did you get that banana?" I asked him. He ignored me.

"Feast your eyes, Captain. All of them, faithful hands before the mast, every man worth his salt. And crazy to boot." Gibbs said proudly as we stared at the men. I looked back at the banana as my stomach growled again. I drew my attention back to the men.

'Not quite what I expected.' I thought after I looked at them. They're were lots of men, but quite a few of them were scrawny.

"So this is your able-bodied crew?" Will looked at Jack with a look of disbelief. Jack rolled his eyes and walked toward a man with a parrot on his shoulder.

"You sailor." Jack said, getting his attention.

"Cotton, sir." Gibbs said.

"Mr. Cotton." Jack corrected himself. Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" Jack asked, but he received no answer. "Mr. Cotton! Answer, man!" He said annoyed. I stared again at the banana. It was driving me insane! He was just standing there with it! If he was going to hold on to it, he should at least eat it and put me out of my misery.

"He's a mute, sir." Gibbs said. "Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how." Cotton opened his mouth and we saw where his tongue was supposed to be, though it wasn't there. Jack curled up his tongue inside his mouth, probably grateful it was there.

"Mr. Cotton's... parrot. Same question." Jack said strangely, still trying to get over the tongue.

"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" It squawked.

"Mostly, we figure, that means yes." Gibbs said.

"Of course it does." He said, trying to make a point. "Satisfied?" He said to Will. I couldn't stand it anymore. I walked over to Jack and took the banana out of his hand.

"Well, you've proved they're mad!" He retorted. Jack stared at me peeling his banana and shoving it in my face. It tasted so good!

"That's a good thing, Will. They might actually think Jack knows what he's doing." I said, looking at Jack, my mouth full.

"I do know what I'm doing, Bloody Rose." He said glaring at me. It took me by surprise. I hadn't heard that name in a long time.

"Bloody Rose?" Will and Gibbs asked at the same time.

"I'll explain later." I mumbled.

"And what's the benefit for us?" One of the sailors shouted as I took another bite. He had a hat pulled over his face. Jack walked over to him and pulled of the hat, revealing a woman.

"Annamaria!" Jack said, and she quickly slapped him. I laughed so hard that my head went down as my hand went up. Unfortunately, that meant I ended up with a nose full of banana.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either." Will said as I tried to blow the fruit from my nose.

"No. That one I deserved." Jack said, obviously in pain.

"You stole my boat!" Annamaria exclaimed.

"Actually..." Jack began, but he was cut off when she slapped him again. "Borrowed. Borrowed without permission. But with every intention of bringing it back to you." Jack covered.

"But you didn't!" She exclaimed.

"You'll get another one!" Jack tried.

"I will." She glared at him and pointed her finger at his face.

"A better one." Will joined in the conversation.

"A better one!" Jack said, taking his cue. We hoped it would get us out of here sooner.

"That one." Will said, pointing to the Interceptor. My mouth dropped open, and a bit of banana fell out.

"What one?" Jack said, as shocked as I was. "That one?" He sounded angry now. He quickly changed his tone. "Aye, that one! What say you?" He just wanted to get out of port.

"Aye!" She shouted as the crew joined in. We all began to walk toward the Interceptor.

"No, no, no, no, no, it's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir. It would be horrible to have two." Gibbs said, behind us to Jack. I turned around and glared at him, and he backed off.

* * *

"So." Gibbs said walking up to me later on the ship. "Bloody Rose? Do explain." Will was sitting near by and joined us. 

"My pirate name." I said simply and walked away.

"Wait. Your pirate name? You were a pirate?" Gibbs sounded amazed. Will, although I had told him everything earlier, still looked astonished.

"Yea. On the Pearl when Jack's father was Captain." I stood at the railing on the starboard side, and tossed my empty banana peel into the water. All the memories of me being on the Pearl built up inside me. I was so grateful to be living this life again! I hadn't realized until now how much I missed it.

"What are you thinking?" Jack asked as he snuck up behind me.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I was just watching the ocean. That didn't mean I was always thinking about something important did it?

"When ever you zone out like that and focus on the ocean, you aren't thinking lightly." He smiled.

"I hadn't realized how much I missed sailing. Pirating in general, I guess." I turned toward him and he laughed.

"I always told you pirating was in your blood."

"Yeah. You did." I said slowly. Jack was often smarter than I gave him credit for.

"Well, you know what I'm thinking?" He asked.

"Like I could ever figure out what YOU are thinking!" We laughed.

"I thinking I missed you more than I realized." He said slowly, almost as if he were scared to say it. I looked up into his eyes, and he looked down into mine. He once again leaned in for a kiss.

"Captain." Someone behind us said.

"WHAT?" Jack yelled. It was Annamaria.

"Oh." She said, seeing me and what Jack was trying to do. "I, uh, I'm sorry. I just, uh, I mean, there's a storm approaching, Captain. We need you back at the, uh, helm." She stammered from embarrassment.

"Yeah, fine." He turned and walked away.

"So." Annamaria turned toward me. "You and the Captain?"


	34. Chapter 34: Keep to the Code

"Yeah. Jack and I go way back. Back to when I was about thirteen."

"I heard about you being on the Pearl. Were you really?" Anna-Maria asked.

"Yea. I loved it!" I smiled. She was really nice. She reminded me of someone, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

"Did you know my sister?" She asked suddenly.

"Your sister?" I asked.

"Lola." She said, and I almost choked.

"Lola! She was great, I loved her! We were so close! Well, until, you know." We were silent for a while.

"When she left to become a pirate, I was the only one who really knew what she was doing. Everyone else in our family thought she was leaving for America for 'better opportunities'." Anna-Maria faintly smiled. "We were close, so she decided to tell me the truth. My family would have never supported her if they had known. So she was gone for years living out her dream. All the while, I began to get interested in pirating. So when I was old enough, I left with the same excuse."

"They believed it?" I asked.

"Of course. They were always really gullible. I searched for her for years before I found out what happened. I still wish I could have seen her again." She paused. "We should probably go help on deck since there's a storm coming." I smiled. I really liked Annamaria.

* * *

"How can we sail to an island that nobody can find with a compass that doesn't work?" Will said, as the storm raged around the ship. 

"Aye, the compass doesn't point north but we're not trying to find north, are we?" Gibbs replied. 'Who knows what he's talking about.' I thought as I climbed up to where Jack stood at the helm.

"We should drop canvas, Jack." I said, struggling to hear my own voice in the wrath of the wind.

"She can hold a bit longer." He said back, turning the helm.

"What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Captain?" Gibbs asked, walking up to where we stood.

"We're catching up!" He smiled and we all knew there was no chance Jack would ever listen to us.

* * *

We rode out the storm and morning finally approached. Jack still stood proudly at the helm and carefully steered her through a narrow passage. 

"Dead men tell no tales." Cotton's parrot squawked as silence reigned the air.

"Puts a chill in the bones how many honest sailors have been claimed by this passage." We looked down into the water and a few things caught me eye- wreckage, and sharks. 'Please be careful Jack.' I thought. Will must have thought the same thing as he turned his head to look toward Jack. Jack was intently watching his compass, as if it would suddenly change.

"How is it that Jack came by that compass?" He asked Gibbs.

"Not a lot's known about Jack Sparrow before he showed up in Tortuga with a mind to go after the treasure of the Isla de Muerta. That was before I met him, back when he was Captain of the Black Pearl." Gibbs said. No one really knew much about Jack. Not even me.

"What? He failed to mention that." Will said. We never did tell him Jack had been Captain. Of course, I hadn't know but since yesterday.

"Well, he plays things closer to the vest now. And a hard-learned lesson it was. See three days out on the venture the first mate comes to him and says everything's an equal share. That should mean the location of the treasure, too, so Jack gives up the bearings. That night there was a mutiny. They marooned Jack on an island and left him to die but not before he'd gone mad with the heat." Gibbs said. It was the second time I'd had to listen to this story, but I listened anyway.

"Ah. So that's the reason for all the..." He said, making some weird movements like Jack. I laughed. As sad as it was, Jack did seem crazy sometimes.

"Reason's got nothing to do with it. Now Will , when a man is marooned he is a given a pistol with a single shot- one shot. Well it won't do much good hunting or to be rescued. But after three weeks of a starvin' belly and thirst, that pistol will start to look real friendly. But Jack, he escaped the island, and he still has that one shot. Oh, but he won't use it, though, save for one man. His mutinous first mate." As Gibbs talked, he made Jack seem more heroic than insane. He was almost better at telling the story than Jack himself.

"Barbossa." Will said, giving Gibbs the satisfaction of a story well-told.

"Aye." Gibbs said back.

"How did Jack get off the island?" Will asked, and I listened intently. Jack hadn't told me that yesterday.

"Well, I'll tell ye." Gibbs said, happy he could continue with his story. "He waded out into the shallows and there he waited three days and three nights till all manner of sea creatures came and acclimated to his presence. And on the fourth morning, he roped himself a couple of sea turtles, lashed 'em together and made a raft." He smiled.

"He roped a couple of sea turtles?" Will said in disbelief.

"Aye, sea turtles!" Gibbs said.

"What did he use for rope?" Will asked.

"Human hair. From my back." Jack said, looking down at us. I hid a laugh. I knew the story couldn't be true. "Let go of the anchor!" Jack shouted, walking down towards us.

"Let go of the anchor, sir!" The crew answered back.

"Young Mr. Turner and I are to go ashore." Jack said to the crew, walking past me.

"I'm coming too, Jack." I said, following him.

"No, you're not!" Jack said, turning around for only a second, and continuing to walk on. "I told you to trust m-" I cut him off.

"This isn't about trust Jack. Of course I trust you! But you have to let me come, too!" I said. He stopped and turned around.

"Fine. You want to come, then bloody come." He snapped. 'Why is Jack acting like this?' I thought, but I followed him to the boats.

"Captain! What if the worst should happen?" Gibbs asked.

"Keep to the code." He answered. I knew what he was talking about, but Will seemed confused.

"Aye, the code." Gibbs said as Jack, Will and I were lowered in our boat to the water.


	35. Chapter 35: Saving Elizabeth

"What Code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" Will asked, seeing a skeleton along the edge of land.

"The Pirates code." I answered. "Any man that falls behind, is left behind." Jack nodded in agreement.

"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?" Will said.

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one." Jack said. "Sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga." We all looked down and noticed a few dozen gold coins under the water. "And you're completely obsessed with Treasure." We stepped out of the boat and walked toward the cave. I glanced at in from behind a rock, and had to hold my breath as I took it all in. There was an entire pirate crew gathered together, surrounding a stone chest. Barbossa stood near it with Elizabeth by force.

"That's not true!" Will said angrily. "I'm not obsessed with treasure."

"Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate." Jack said, looking at Elizabeth.

"Gentlemen, the time has come! Our salvation is nigh! Our torment is near at end." Barbossa yelled to his men.

"Elizabeth." Will said, taking in all of our surroundings.

"For ten years we've been tested and tried, and each and every one of you here has proved his mettle a hundred times over and a hundred times again!" Barbossa said, as his men cheered.

"Suffered, I have." One of them said.

"That's the idiot that knocked me out earlier!" I said, my fists clenching. "Oh, he's going to get it!" Will looked at me surprised, but Jack just smiled.

"Punished, we were. The lot of us - disproportionate to our crimes! Here it is!" Barbossa said, kicking the cover off the stone chest. Inside glittered hundreds of gold coins. All of them exactly alike. "The cursed treasure of Cortez himself." He ran his hands through the gold. "Every last piece that went astray, we have returned. Save for this!" He pointed to Elizabeth. The medallion she took from Will hung around her neck.

"Jack!" Will said trying to get to Elizabeth.

"Not yet. We wait for the opportune moment." Jack said, pulling Will back.

"881 we found but despaired of ever finding the last." Barbossa continued.

"When's that? When it's of greatest profit to you?" Will said, angrily turning toward Jack.

"Will calm down!" I said.

"May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me? Do us a favor, I know it's difficult for you, but please stay here and try not to do anything stupid." Jack said, walking off.

"And who among us has paid the blood sacrifice owed to the heathen gods?" Barbossa yelled to his group.

"Us!" They chanted.

"And whose blood must yet be paid?" Barbossa asked.

"Hers!" They yelled.

"Come with me." Will whispered motioning me to follow him.

"You know the first thing I'm goin' to do after the curse is lifted? Eat a whole bushel of apples." Barbossa and his men laughed as Will picked up an oar from our boat. He walked over to where Jack was hiding. "Begun by blood, by blood undone." Barbossa said. Will then hit Jack over the head with the oar.

"Will! What are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be his leverage. Now, you come with me or I'll do the same to you as I did to him!"

Will and I quickly walked to the water and swam behind the Pirates. I was sure Will knew what he was doing, but I had no clue what was going on.


	36. Chapter 36: The Truth

I swam through the water, not daring to make a sound. Who knows what would happen if we were caught. Will swam ahead, just a quiet as I was, as I reluctantly followed. I still had no idea what Will was doing, and every second I felt even worse for leaving Jack behind. I slowly turned around, and I could barely see Jack, lying perfectly still just where we'd left him. I bit my lip and swam the opposite direction, now seeing Will farther away. I caught up with him and saw Elizabeth, lying on the shore. He reached up and put his hand over her mouth. She jumped awake, but because of Will's evil mind, she was unable to make a sound. As soon as she saw us, she quickly got into the water, and the three of us swam back to the boat.

"So we're just going to leave him here?" I asked as Will grabbed the oars from all the pirates' boats to keep them from following us. He stopped and turned around.

"Any man that falls behind gets left behind." He helped Elizabeth into our boat and looked back at me. "Are you coming?" I got into the boat he sat down next to Elizabeth. She gave me a half-hearted, still scared smile, but I only looked away. The entire ride to the Pearl was silent. Will had achieved his mission, he was happy and he didn't need to talk. Elizabeth was free, she, too was happy and still a bit traumatized, and she didn't need to talk either. Jack was left behind, and I felt like my heart was being ripped from my chest. I wouldn't have been able to talk even if I'd wanted to. I sat in the silence, completely zoned from the world and before I had realized what happened, I stood on the deck of the Pearl, looking at her crew.

"Not more pirates!" Elizabeth stepped closer to Will as he climbed on deck.

"Welcome aboard, Miss Elizabeth." Gibbs said, stepping out from the group of pirates.

"Mr. Gibbs?" Elizabeth acknowledged him as if she hardly believed he were real.

"Hey, boy, where be Jack?" Gibbs asked. I closed my eyes let out a long, jagged breath. Will looked over at me.

"Jack? Jack Sparrow?" Elizabeth said in disbelief.

"He fell behind." He said slowly and quietly. I took one last look at everyone standing on deck and ran down below deck, bursting into tears. I slowly sat down in a chair, and buried my face in my hands.

"We were just reunited." I said, taking a deep breath. "Why can't we ever stay together?" I hugged my knees against my chest, and I saw Elizabeth slowly walk in.

"Are you alright? I haven't seen you this upset since I first noticed your necklace. I don't even understand why you're upset now. Nothing's happened." She sat down next to me.

"Elizabeth," I took another deep breath. "I have to admit, I haven't been completely honest with you all these years." I slowly put my feet on the floor and looked at her.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"When you found Will and I that day in the water, Will was telling the truth. We had been on that pirate ship. And before that day, I'd been on it a lot longer."

"Why?" She said, confused.

"Because I am a pirate." I said, slowly. She shook her head in disbelief.

"No you're not, you're my best friend! You really had me going there for a minute, but really, its hard to lie about something like this." She laughed.

"I'm not lying, Elizabeth." I said, slowly pulling up my sleeve and revealing the 'P'. She gasped, but didn't move. "And my last name isn't Smith, either. It's Merrigue. I'm not sure if you've ever heard of Cannonbell Merrigue, but that's my father. And I'm Selesta B-Bloody Rose Merrigue." I stammered out. She sat perfectly still, staring at me.

"Why didn't you just tell me?" She asked.

"I was so scared! Scared that you would be terrified of who I was or that someone would find out and have me executed. But, I haven't told you one of the biggest parts."

"What?"

"I worked on the Black Pearl. And so did Jack." I said.

"Jack Sparrow?" She said his name with disgust.

"Jack Sparrow." I paused. "We became really close. I loved him. And he was the one that gave me the necklace." I looked away from her.

"I knew you knew him that day on the dock." She said.

"Elizabeth, I'm really sorry I never told you any of this. I was just so scared…" My voice trailed off.

"It's alright. I just need a minute to think about all of this." She smiled weakly.

"I'll be up on deck getting some air, alright?" I stood up, and saw Will walk in.

"Alright." She said. I walked toward the door and looked at Will. He looked as though he wanted to say something, but I didn't give him the chance. I wiped away a tear, and climbed up the ladder, saying nothing, and leaving he and Elizabeth alone. It may not have been the best plan to get them together, but I wasn't so mad at Will that I wouldn't try.


	37. Chapter 37: The Battle Begins

I walked up on deck, and stood by the railing of the ship. I fixed my eyes on the ocean's choppy water as I always did. 'Jack was right. I do always stare at the ocean when I'm thinking hard. I always have.'

"Hands aloft to loose t'gallants! With this wind at her stern, she'll carry every sail we've got." Gibbs yelled behind me. I turned around only to see everyone scurrying around the Interceptor like a chicken with its head chopped off. Elizabeth walked over to me and gave me a questioning glance. We walked over to Annamaria.

"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked.

"The Black Pearl- She's gaining on us!" Annamaria exclaimed struggling with the helm.

"This is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!" Elizabeth protested. I shook my head and wished it was true.

"You can tell them that after they've caught us!" Annamaria snapped. Elizabeth stopped and thought.

"We're shallower on the draft, right?" She asked.

"Aye." Annamaria replied.

"Well, then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" She asked, pointing off the port side.

"Elizabeth! You're a genius!" I exclaimed.

"We don't have to outrun them long." Gibbs took to the idea. "Just long enough."

"Lighten the ship, stem to stern!" Annamaria yelled her orders, and the crew began to obey.

"Anything we can afford to lose, see that it's lost." Gibbs yelled to the crew as he began to help. I looked around for something to do, but found nothing and felt utterly useless. I looked back at the Pearl. She was still just as I remembered her, though I remembered her power. If Barbossa got a hold of us, there would be no Interceptor left. Then I saw what was perhaps the most sickening thing possible. _Oars._ They poked out of the Pearl's sides and down into the water, moving gracefully among the silver sea. I knew we didn't have a chance.

"They're too close, we can't outrun them!" I said, turning toward Annamaria.

"It was a good plan. Up till now." She sighed. We had all been hoping that it would work.

"Gibbs! We have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!" Wills voice sounded against the panic of the crew.

"With what?" Annamaria asked.

"Anything! Everything! Anything we have left!" He said. We all knew it was the only choice we had left. Again, there was nothing I could do, and I was left with watching the Pearl. She was closer now than ever before, and I could see the crew clearly now. Though I knew it wasn't even slightly possible, I tried to search for Jack. He wasn't there, though.

"The Pearl is going to luff up on our port quarter. She'll rake us without ever presenting a target." Gibbs said to those of us standing up on the Poop.

"Lower the anchor on the right side. On the starboard side!" Elizabeth yelled suddenly.

"It certainly has the element of surprise." Will agreed.

"You're daft, lady! You both are!" Annamaria answered back.

"Daft like Jack!" I smiled.

"Lower the starboard anchor!" The crew only stared at Gibbs as he yelled his orders. "Do it, ye dogs, or it's you we'll load into the cannons!" At this they began to work again. I grabbed hold of the nearest sturdy object and prayed I wouldn't fly off the deck.

"Please let this work!" I said as I clenched my teeth. The Interceptor lunged to the side and the battle began.


	38. Chapter 38: Name Your Terms

The Black Pearl's Crew stood on deck, screaming at us. We too replied with screams, but I was extremely intimidated by the fact that they couldn't die.

"Keep us steady now! Will said. We watched the Pearl's crew intently, and they watched us.

"Fire!" I faintly heard Barbossa yell from the Pearl.

"Fire all!" Elizabeth screamed right next to me. I had no trouble hearing her. The next sound was also easy to hear. Cannons and crunching wood filled the sound of the air, and I ducked to avoid a flying piece of deck. By the time I had gotten up from my protective position, the Pearl's crew held hooks and ropes in their hand.

"They're going to board." I said slowly to Elizabeth standing next to me. We ran down to the main deck and grabbed two rifles. "Lets hope we don't blow ourselves up." I couldn't help but say. I'd never fired a rifle before, and I knew Elizabeth hadn't either. The Pirates then came like a wave, all at once. We had no other choice then to fire constantly.

"We could use a few more ideas, lass." Gibbs said to Elizabeth as she fired another shot.

"Your turn!" She replied.

"We need us a devil's dowry!" Gibbs said loudly shooting another pirate.

"We'll give 'em her!" Annamaria exclaimed cocking her pistol at Elizabeth. My mouth flew open and I pulled out my own pistol on Annamaria. No matter how much I liked her, she was second to Elizabeth.

"She's not what they're after." Will said, and we both put our pistols away. Elizabeth reached for the medallion around her neck. It wasn't there any more.

"The medallion." She gasped. Will jumped from his position on deck and ran down below to search. I fired again at another pirate, but he only laughed at me.

"This isn't working." I mumbled under my breath as even more Pirates swung onto the Interceptor.

"Jack!" I heard Gibbs say behind me. I turned around and there he was, handing Gibbs an alcohol canteen.

"Bloody empty!" He exclaimed. He turned around and caught the hand of a pirate, about to get Elizabeth. "That's not very nice." He said. Elizabeth used the butt of her rifle to hit him overboard. "Where's the medallion?" He asked Elizabeth.

"Wretch!" He replied, trying to hit him.

"Elizabeth!" I yelled running over to where they stood. He had caught her hand.

"Ah. Where is dear William?" Elizabeth gasped and ran over to where Will had gone to retrieve the medallion.

"Jack!" I said, throwing my arms around him.

"Later. When our lives don't depend on it!" He said running off to help the crew. I tried to load my rifle.

"I don't think so poppet!" I heard behind me. It was the pirate that knocked me out.

"You're right. I'd rather do this!" I said punching him in the face. I turned the rifle around and slammed the butt into his stomach.

"You know we can't feel that, don't you?" Another voice sounded behind me. I turned and saw the other pirate that had chased Elizabeth and I the other night. He grabbed me and forced my arms behind my back. They dragged me over to the Pearl and tied me to the main mast where a large amount of the crew was already contained. Along with Elizabeth.

"If any of you so much as thinks the word parley, I'll have your guts for garters!" The pirate said, circling us. Elizabeth pulled free from the ropes and ran over to the edge of the ship, just in time to see the Interceptor explode. It was the second time something like this had happened to me.

"Will!" Elizabeth breathed. "You've got to stop it! Stop it!" She screamed, attacking Barbossa. He easily held her back.

"Welcome back, Miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair now that you return the favor." He laughed and pushed her toward his crew.

"Barbossa!" I heard a voice come from behind me. It was Will! He picked up a pistol lying on deck and cocked it at Barbossa. "She goes free." He looking at Elizabeth.

"What's in your head boy?" Barbossa asked.

"She goes free." He persisted, his teeth clenching.

"You've only got one shot and we can't die." Barbossa pointed out.

"Don't do anything stupid." I heard Jack faintly mutter, standing among the crowd.

"You can't. I can." He jumped up on the edge of the deck and pointed the gun at himself.

"Like that." Jack sighed. Suddenly I realized what was happening and I leaned my head against the mast. Will was ruining Jack's plan.

"Who are you?" Barbossa asked with a confused tone.

"No one. He's no one. A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew twice removed. Lovely singing voice, though. Eunuch." Jack stepped out of the crowd and tried to stop Will.

"My name is Will Turner." Will said, ignoring Jack's efforts. "My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins."

"It's the spitting image of ol' Bootstrap Bill, come back to haunt us!" One of the pirates yelled.

"On my word do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones Locker." Will said.

"Name your terms Mr. Turner." Barbossa said slowly.

"Elizabeth goes free!" He yelled.

"Yes we know that one. Anything else?" Barbossa rolled his eyes. I looked up at Will and smiled.

"And Selesta. She goes free, as well." Will said. I finally let go of the breath I hadn't even realized I'd been holding.

"Gents. You heard 'im." Barbossa said, pointing to me. They freed me from the ropes and I walked over to where Jack and Elizabeth stood. "Is that it?" Barbossa asked. Jack held up his hands to Will. Will finally noticed Jack.

"And the crew. The crew is not to be harmed." He said. Jack sighed. It wasn't what he wanted Will to say.

"Agreed." Barbossa gave an evil smile, and I knew everything Will had just done was in vain.


	39. Chapter 39: Marooned Again

The ship began to sail away from the Interceptor's ruins, and I had the worst feeling in the gut of my stomach. I wanted to walk around the Pearl, just to see her again, but I was too anxious to move too much. Elizabeth and Will seemed fine, sitting and talking with each other, but Jack appeared as uneasy as I was.

"I don't like this Jack." I said, slowly walking over to where he stood on deck.

"Neither do I." He said, looking up at Barbossa standing on the Poop. "Neither do I. He's not going to do what we want. Never has been a man to do such things."

"The last time I saw him, he twisted my words. Told him not to touch the crew, so he didn't. He blew their guts out instead." I sighed. I knew things wouldn't work out right.

"When was that?" He asked.

"About eight years ago. It was when I met Will. At least I was able to save him." I looked over at Will. He was giving Elizabeth a longing stare. She was turned toward the ocean, staring out at the waves like I usually did. She quickly turned around and Will turned away as fast as he could. She didn't seem to notice, however, and I saw a new look in her eyes. She was giving him the same stare he would give her. She loved him.

"No." I heard Jack grunt under his breath.

"What?" I asked. He pointed off the port side of the ship, where a small island was steadily appearing. "What is that?"

"That's the same bloody island Barbossa marooned me on last time." He looked down at crate he was sitting on. "Should've known I wouldn't get away from there so easily."

"All hands on deck!" Barbossa yelled as the Island grew even larger against the horizon. "We've got some things to unload." He said with a crooked smile. I wanted to go up and shoot him. Numerous times. In the head. But I knew it wouldn't do any good, even if I could shoot him. He was 'undead', and we were all standing in the way of him becoming part of the human race again. He was going to dump us on an island to die, and he would never feel any remorse about it. He slowly walked down the stairs and turned to us.

"Miss Elizabeth. Ladies first." Suddenly, all the pirates jumped on us. They pulled Will as far from the port side as they could and they set out the plank. Pulling out their swords, they forced her onto the long board of wood.

"Barbossa you lying bastard! You swore she'd go free!" Will yelled as he struggled to break free from the pirates' grasps.

"Don't dare impugn me on her boy! I agreed she'd go free, but it was you who failed to specify when or where." He laughed as the crew gagged Will and tied him back. "Though it does seem a shame to lose something so fine, don't it lads?"

"Aye." They all agreed.

"So I'll be having that dress back before you go." He smiled.

"I always liked you." I heard Jack say to one of the crew members. I rolled my eyes. There was no way we were getting out of this.

"It goes with your black heart." Elizabeth grimaced at Barbossa as she took off the dress. She threw it into the crowd and someone let a whistle out.

"Shut-up!" I yelled at him.

"Oh, there's no use in behavin' that way, Bloody Rose. You get your turn next!" He laughed in spite of himself and turned back toward Elizabeth. She slowly took one step after the other over the ocean.

"Too long!" One of the pirates yelled as he stomped on the board to shake it. Elizabeth lost her balance and fell into the water. The pirates holding me back then forced me toward plank. I checked my belt to make sure my sword and pistol were still there and I stepped up on the board. I turned around for one brief second to look at Will.

"Thanks for trying. I wish you better luck." I said. There was no way I was going to lose my dignity by being forced of the plank, so I dove into the water. I came up and saw Elizabeth still treading water near the ship. "Come on." I said. "We need to get to land." We began to swim toward the island and I turned around just in time to see Jack diving off the board. He was the best swimmer of all of us, so he easily caught up.

"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away with my ship." Jack said slowly. He turned and began to walk further inland. We both followed him.

"But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape in the same way you did then." Elizabeth said hopefully.

"To what point and purpose, young missy?" Jack asked turning toward us. "The Black Pearl is gone and unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice, unlikely, young Mr. Turner will be dead long before you can reach him." Jack walked up to a palm tree and knocked on the trunk.

"But you're Captain Jack Sparrow! You vanished from under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Company. You sacked Nassau Port without even firing a shot. Are you the pirate I've read about or not?" We followed him as he proceeded to take four grossly oversized steps and begin to jump up and down as if he were mad.

"Jack, how did you escape last time?" I asked.


	40. Chapter 40: Drunk

"Last time I was here a grand total of three days, alright?" He sighed. "Last time..." He grunted as he leaned down to the sand a pulled open a secret cellar door. "the rumrunners used this island as a cache." He disappeared into the cellar. "Came by, and I was able to barter a passage off. From the looks of things, they've long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norington to thank for that." He said turning toward Elizabeth. He stepped out of the cellar holding three bottles.

"So that's it then? That's the secret grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow? You spent three days lying on a beach, drinking rum?" She asked in an irritated voice.

"Welcome to the Caribbean, love." He handed each of us a bottle of rum and walked over to the shoreline. He plopped down and popped the cork off his bottle. I walked over and sat next to him.

"To luck." I said pulling the cork out of my own bottle.

"To luck?" He asked, his bottle already halfway to his lips.

"To luck that we might find some sort of way out of this. And of course luck for Will." I explained.

"Alright then. To luck." Our bottles clanked and I lifted mine to my lips. It was sour and hot and it had to be the worst drink I'd ever had. Still, it was all I had right now, so I took another swallow.

"Selesta? Can I talk to you over there?" Elizabeth walked over to me as I took yet another drink.

"Sure." I stood up and followed her. She still held her drink in her hands, unopened, and she tossed it into the sand as she sat down under a palm tree.

"Do you actually enjoy that vile drink?" She asked, noticing the fill line on my bottle had gone down.

"It's horrible!" I said with a smile as I took another swig.

"Then why are you drinking it?" She asked.

"It's not like we have much else to do on this island of fun, eh?" I said, putting my bottle down.

"Well, I have a plan. And I need your help, because I know Jack isn't going to be much help after tonight." We looked over at Jack who already finished with his rum and was going to get another.

"No, he's not good for much of anything when he's drunk." I said, remembering that night he'd gotten drunk after his surgery. I had to laugh. "Well, you can get him to say anything. Or probably do anything at that. But he'd be so out of it…"

"I'm not going to ask." She said, watching my facial expressions as I tried to imagine a drunken Jack following a plan to get help. "But listen, I'm positive my father is going to be looking for us."

"Of course." I agreed.

"We need to create a signal." She said simply.

"By burning what?" I asked.

"Everything- trees, crates, rum…" I cut her off.

"No, no, no. There's no possible way Jack will let you burn the rum. No chance." I said looking over at Jack, lying in the sand. He was of course, still drinking.

"Well then we'll have to wait until he passes out. With as much rum as he's had, I imagine it'll be soon." She smiled slightly and I laughed.

"I sure it will be, but Jack might get suspicious if we're just sitting around watching him get drunk." I said. He never was stupid. Maybe a little on the slower side, but never stupid.

"We can just act the complete opposite of sober later on tonight and then wait for the rum to knock him out." Elizabeth said as I stood up and walked toward Jack.

"Alright." I said, putting the drink to my lips.

"Don't actually drink it! Just act drunk later." She hissed at me. I put the drink down.

"I was just acting like I was going to drink it. He's sitting right there." I whispered. I _was_ actually going to drink it, but I waited until she turned around to hide a quick drink. The taste was actually growing on me…

* * *

"We're devils and black sheep and really bad eggs! Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho a pirate's life for me!" The three of us sang as we danced around the campfire later that night. I plopped down in the sand and took another swallow of rum. It tasted delicious now.

"I love this song!" Jack said as he fell down next to me. "When I get the Pearl back, I'm gonna teach it to the whole crew, and we'll sing it all the time!"

"And you will be positively the most fearsome pirate in the Spanish Main!" Elizabeth leaned in toward Jack.

"Not so flirtatious, love." I muttered sarcastically to Elizabeth. She may have been trying to act drunk, but playing with Jack wouldn't work with me.

"Not just the Spanish Main, love. The entire ocean." Jack said, not noticing my warning to Elizabeth. "The entire world. Wherever we want to go, we'll go. That's what a ship is, you know. It's not just a keel and a hull and a deck and sails- that's what a ship needs but what a ship is, what the Black Pearl really is, is freedom." Jack said finishing with a flourish. He was still a pretty funny drunk.

"Jack." I said, leaning towards him. "It must be really terrible for you to be trapped on this island."

"Oh, yes." He replied, putting an arm around each of us. "But the company is infinitely better than last time, I think. The scenery has definitely improved…" Elizabeth stopped him.

"Mr. Sparrow, I'm not entirely sure I've had enough rum to allow that kind of talk." She said, pushing his hand from her shoulder.

"I know exactly what you mean, love." He said, bringing the rest of his arm from her, but pulling his other arm even tighter around my waist. I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

"To freedom!" Elizabeth held up her rum bottle.

"To the Black Pearl!" Jack said holding up his own. I picked up mine and we cheered. Jack continued drinking his rum until it was time to carry out our plan.

"Alright, he's out. Let's get to work on the signal." She said standing up. I tried to follow but I fell down.

"Whoops!" I said rather loudly as I stood up again, and walked toward her.

"You really drank it didn't you?" She questioned me suspiciously.

"Did not!" I denied all too quickly.

"Oh, just help me." She sighed as I followed her with a few very crooked steps.


	41. Chapter 41: The Rum is Gone

I woke up and screamed as soon as I saw what was in front of my face. Jack.

"Morning to you, too." He said, sitting up.

"What were you doing in my face?" I asked, also sitting up. I had a horrible head ache. I guess that's what I get for not listening to Elizabeth about the rum.

"You tripped over me last night and passed out. Elizabeth tried yelling at you but that didn't work. So I was going to try to get you over to your own little area to sleep, but Elizabeth slapped me, telling me not to touch you. Then I must have passed out again." He said laughing.

"That's not funny!" I said hating to admit that it was pretty funny. But I had to let a laugh escape.

"Oh really? Then why are you laughing?" He asked with a big smile. "What do I smell?" He asked, his smile fading.

"What? Oh, nothing. It's probably just a side effect from the rum." I tried desperately to keep him from turning around. Elizabeth had a huge fire going, and she was throwing all of the rum into it.

"No, it's smells like rum. _Burning_ rum." He turned around and jumped up as fast as he could as if he could stop Elizabeth. "No! Not good! Stop! Not good! What are you doing? You burned all the food, the shade! The rum!"

"Yes. The rum is gone." Elizabeth retorted as I walked over.

"Why is the rum gone?" Jack asked desperately.

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two, that signal is over a thousand feet high. The entire Royal Navy is out looking for me, do you really think that there is even the slightest chance that they won't see it?" Elizabeth snapped. I was surprised at how evil she looked when she was mad. Then again, looking back on the corset day, I was surprised she didn't try to kill one of us.

"But why is the rum gone?" He persisted.

"Jack give it up. It's gone." I walked over to him and mockingly patted him on the back.

"Just wait, Captain Sparrow. You give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye out and then you will see white sails on that horizon." Elizabeth said, sitting down in the sand. I sat next to her and smiled. She only looked at me skeptically. "Thank you for all the help last night." She said sarcastically.

"Don't start with me! I started that fire. You wouldn't have gotten anything done if I didn't know how to rub two sticks together." I said defending myself.

"Yes, and then I had to deal with you passing out from the rum and then I had to make sure Sparrow didn't touch you." She sighed as we watched Jack walking his crazy walk, muttering to himself.

"Elizabeth. Don't take this the wrong way, but I think it's my decision if the man I love touches me or not." I said watching the waves crash on the shore.

"Oh. I'm sorry; I just forgot you two were close." She said. "I mean, I can't help thinking of him like the pirate he is." I turned back to her.

"Yes, he is a pirate, but so am I." I said. "He's not a horrible man, Elizabeth." I smiled as I watched Jack climbing a hill. He slipped and fell a few times before succeeding but he sat down as soon as he reached the top. "I'm going to go talk to him, alright?" I said, standing up.

"I'll be right here." She said, watching the ocean. I walked over to the hill and slowly began to climb up. I didn't want to fall like Jack did. He halfway turned around to acknowledge my presence and turned the other way. I thought I slightly heard him talking to himself.

"Jack?" I said, sitting down next to him.

"What?" He asked in an irritated voice. I couldn't help but laugh. "Why are you bloody laughing at me?" He looked over at me.

"Jack, you do realize we burnt the rum to save us all, don't you?" I asked.

"Yea. I know." He said slowly. "It just that…" He paused. "It was me rum." He said sadly. I laughed and put my arms around him. He looked over at me and smiled. "You know. I never have gotten a chance to kiss you with out an interruption. We won't get much of an interruption here unless Elizabeth decides to burn me other love." I laughed.

"Elizabeth and I have come to an agreement." I said leaning closer to him.

"You're bloody joking." He said after we were only inches apart.

"What?" I asked. He laid back on the ground and looked up at the sky.

"Here I am on a deserted island where I thought I couldn't be interrupted and there it is- the perfect disturbance. You hate me don't you?" He called up to the sky. I turned around and looked at the sea. Ships with white sails were sailing straight toward us.


	42. Chapter 42: Rescued

After I forced Jack to stand up again, we walked over to where Elizabeth was sitting. She stood up and gave me a mischievous smile as we approached her. I turned toward the ocean and was able to make out seeing a small boat being rowed toward us. It finally made it to land and the crew members quickly got out.

"Oh, Miss!" One of the men said walking over to Elizabeth. "We've been looking everywhere for you. You're father will be glad to know its you on this island."

"Is my father on the ship?" She asked.

"Of course, Miss. He's been worried about you." We all walked over to the boat and climbed into it. The crew gave Jack a few glances, but we were all soon standing on the Dauntless.

"Elizabeth!" Governor Swan hugged her as soon as he saw her climb aboard. I glanced around deck and soon saw the last person I wanted to see- Commodore Norington.

"Ah, Elizabeth! I'm so glad you're alright." He said, walking past me and right over to her. "We were all worried about your safety." He kissed her hand and he looked into her eyes. Jack looked over at me and we both had to try to hide a laugh. He was such an ice cream!

"Where is Turner?" Commodore asked looking around as if he would poof out of no where. I stepped forward and told the entire story.

"Well, I suppose we won't see much of him anymore then shall we." One of the crew members said coldly.

"Lets go home." Governor Swan said. Commodore began walking up to the poop and my mouth dropped open. I couldn't believe they were going to leave him behind!

"But we've got to save Will!" Elizabeth said, reading my mind.

"No. You're safe now. We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!" Governor Swan said.

"Then we condemn him to death." Elizabeth returned desperately.

"The boy's fate is regrettable, but, then, so was his decision to engage in piracy." Governor Swan said, justifying his actions for himself. He felt guilty at what he was doing, I could tell.

"To rescue me. To prevent anything from happening to me." Elizabeth said even more franticly.

"If I may be so bold as to inject my professional opinion. The Pearl was listing near to scuppers after the battle. It's very unlikely she'll be able to make good time. Think about it. The Black Pearl- the last real pirate threat in the Caribbean, mate. How can you pass that up?" Jack asked. I could tell he had a plan up his sleeve.

"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow, not only myself." Commodore replied as he turned and began to climb up to the Poop.

"Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me. As a wedding gift." Elizabeth said. My heart stopped there.

"Elizabeth . Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?" Governor Swan asked.

"I am." She replied slowly.

"A wedding! I love weddings! Drinks all around!" Jack said, smiling, but I felt sick to my stomach. Elizabeth wasn't supposed to marry Commodore. Everything was supposed to work out so she could marry Will. Jack stopped smiling when he saw everyone staring at him. "I know, clap 'im in irons, right?" He held out his hands.

"Mr. Sparrow, you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'. Do I make myself clear?" Commodore glared at Jack.

"Inescapably clear." Jack said.

"I walked over to the railing where Elizabeth was standing. She kept her face staring out at the sea.

"I had to do it. It's the only think I could do to save Will. And I'd rather not have him than have him dead." She said, on the brink of tears. She finally turned to me. "I've done the right thing, haven't I?" She asked, letting a tear roll down her check.

"Elizabeth, you've done all you can." I said slowly. "I just wish I could do more."


	43. Chapter 43: Off the Dauntless

I walked over to Jack, standing at the helm of the ship. Somehow, he'd talked the crew into letting him steer. How he'd done that, I'll never know. He was just being Jack.

"So, how's it feel to be standing at the helm of a HMS ship?" I asked mockingly.

"It's a bit of a shot in my pride, love. But it's a helm. It'll do." He smiled and looked over at me, expecting me to laugh. "You alright?" He asked.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm fine." I said, my voice hardly sounding like it was coming from me. My voice was lost along with my thoughts.

"No you're not, otherwise I wouldn't have asked." He replied bringing me back to earth.

"It's not right, Jack." I said.

"What's not right?" He asked. "'It' can be a very vague word, love."

"Everything. But most of all Elizabeth." I said, not realizing how that had actually come out.

"Well, yes, love I'll admit she not quite right in the head for burning me rum." He said with a smile. "But I don't think that was exactly what ye meant." I laughed.

"No. What I meant was its not right that Elizabeth has to marry that…" I searched for the right word. "That…swine, to save Will. She loves him, Jack." I said slowly.

"Who? The swine or the eunuch?" He asked.

"Shut-up, you scallywag. You know what I'm talking about."

"Oh, but do I?" He looked down at me.

"No, Jack. Not here, not now…" My voice faded as I felt his hot breath against my lips. "It wouldn't be right…" I was failing. "They would talk…"

"Then let them talk." Came his reply. He leaned down even closer.

"Pardon me if I'm interrupting," a voice sounded from behind us. "But if you're not going to steer us 'captain' than please, allow someone else at the helm." I turned around and saw Commodore staring at us and my face changed colors completely.

"Excuse me. I think I heard Elizabeth calling me." I said walking toward the steps.

"No she didn't." Jack said with a grin. I smiled back and walked to Elizabeth, still standing at the railing where I'd left her. I wasn't sure of what to say, but I stood next to her for quite a while before either of us said a word.

"I'm so worried for him." Elizabeth said. "They treated me horribly, and I'm a woman. I can't imagine how they're treating him."

"We'll get to him on time." I said trying to reassure her, though I had doubts myself.

"I sure hope so." She said, turning to me. "But I've been meaning to ask you. Has Jack been able to kiss you yet?"

"What?" I asked, shocked she'd bring something like that up.

"I saw you two on the island up on the hill. I had to watch something didn't I? And then up there at the helm…" Her voice trailed off as she laughed at me.

"No. Jack has horrible luck. Not once has he tried without getting an interruption." I said, trying to keep a straight face. I had been embarrassed too much about this today.

"All hands on deck." I heard the Commodore yell as Elizabeth continued to laugh at me. "Sparrow. Come with me." He said to Jack as we watched the Isla de Muerta appear in the distance. Commodore and Jack disappeared into a boat, as did a great portion of the soldiers on the ship.

"Lets go." I said, walking toward the boats.

"No, no." Jack said, stopping me as I walked toward the boats. "You are both staying here."

"What are you talking about? Of course we're coming." I said. He wasn't going to keep me on this ship.

"No." Commodore said. "You two should stay here. For your own safety." He turned away and the crew lowered their boats. I sighed, a stood by the railing. Elizabeth joined me, and I about peed in my pants when I saw her. Fire danced in her eyes as she stared at the dark mouth of the cave. No one was going to get between her and the man she loved.

"We can wait until they get farther from here." I said, trying to calm her down. "Then we can take our own boat to the cave."

"Alright." She said, keeping her eyes perfectly still. "Alright."

* * *

"Sorry, but it's for your own safety." One of the soldiers exclaimed, shoving Elizabeth and I into a cabin.

"Stop saying that bloody line!" I yelled. "Commodore has already tried that, and I don't care about my bloody safety!"

"Coward! The commodore ordered? I have to tell him! The pirates! They're cursed! They cannot be killed!" Elizabeth screamed as we resisted.

"Don't worry, miss, he's already informed of that. A little mermaid flopped up on deck and told him the whole story." The soldier laughed and shut the two doors.

"This is Jack Sparrow's doing!" She yelled as we banged helplessly on the doors. I turned around and leaned against the wall. I sighed as I tried to figure out something to do. Then I saw the window across the room. I rushed over to it and looked it over.

"Elizabeth, do you think we can fit through this?" I asked as she walked over. She stood for a moment and then smiled. We were getting out of here!


	44. Chapter 44: All Over Or is it?

**This is absolutely the longest chapter I have written so far. Much of it may be slightly boring (I do realize this...) but it's all worth it when you get to the end. I promise! Enjoy my loving, wonderful readers and reviewers! I love you guys!**

* * *

Elizabeth and I rowed toward the Pearl. We had decided to free the rest of the crew so they could help us in the cave, that way we'd have a bit more of a chance. We slowly climbed over her rail and looked around. No one was there. 

"That's our way to the brig." I whispered, pointing in the right direction. We started to walk toward the steps when Barbossa's monkey suddenly jumped out in front of us. I took a few steps back, but Elizabeth stood her ground, punching the monkey over the edge of the ship. "Nice." I said, surprised that she had the courage to do such a thing.

"Let's go." She said, walking toward the mysterious black hallway. We began to climb down when we heard the sound of footsteps. I ran to the other side of the steps and pulled Elizabeth down with me. We ducked just in time to hide from two pirates running up to check what had happened on deck when Elizabeth used the monkey as a punching bag. "That was close." She breathed, still ducked beside me. We stood up and ran the rest of the way down the stairs. I let my breath out when I saw there were no other guards and we quickly walked toward the cells.

"It's Selesta and Elizabeth!" Gibbs exclaimed as he saw that was us and not more guards. I ran over and unlocked their cell. They poured out of the door, grateful to be free and followed Elizabeth and I up the stairs. I looked around the deck, looking for the two pirates, and saw them still looking around near the starboard side of the ship.

"Come on." I whispered. "I have an idea." We snuck toward the port side of the ship and I pointed toward a boat. "How would you like to knock a few pirates into the water?" I asked the crew with a smile. They smiled back and we grabbed a hold of it, and flung it at the unsuspecting skeletons. They turned around just in time to see the boat hit them and they flew uncontrollably over the side of the ship. We all cheered and Elizabeth and I ran over to the boat.

"All of you with me. Will is in that cave and we must save him." Elizabeth said as the two of us grabbed the ropes attached to the boat. "Ready? And heave!" We pulled on the ropes, but everyone else stayed put. "Please, we need your help! Come on!"

"Any port in the storm." Cotton's parrot squawked.

"Cotton's right. We've got the Pearl." Gibbs said, gesturing toward the newly conquered ship.

"And what about Jack? You're just going to leave him?" Elizabeth asked, hoping that this would get them to help. I knew she didn't really care about the well-being of Jack.

"Jack owes us a ship!" The shortest of the crew members replied.

"And there's the code to consider." Gibbs said. I lost my breath and glared at him. Some first mate he had become.

"The code?" Elizabeth asked, hopelessly. "You're pirates, hang the code, and hang the rules! They're more like guidelines anyway!"

"Any man that falls behind gets left behind." Gibbs said, standing strong in his argument.

"Fine." I snapped. "If you're not going to do anything we're leaving. Elizabeth, we can do this by ourselves." I glowered at the crew as Elizabeth and I stepped into the boat. We lowered it down and began to row from the ship.

"Bloody pirates!" Elizabeth said as we noticed the ship sailing away.

"There's nothing we can do about them. They really are doing all that's expected of them." I said quietly, rowing the boat with all my strength. We floated toward the cave and jumped onto the land. Walking toward where the treasure was kept, we noticed the sound of clashing swords.

"What's going on?" Elizabeth asked as we looked around. Will was locked in battle with three different pirates, and Jack was fighting man to man against Barbossa.

"Looks like its time for us to get involved." I said, exasperated. I didn't want to break through here fighting. I had gone for far too long without practice. I wasn't completely sure if I could fight the same as I could years ago. I drew my sword from its sheath and started to walk toward the brawl.

"I don't have anything!" Elizabeth gasped.

"Use this." I said, picking up a long golden staff. She gladly accepted it and we ran off toward the fight.

"I'm going to teach you the meaning of pain!" We heard a pirate say to Will just as we walked up behind him.

"You like pain?" Elizabeth asked, hitting the pirate over the head. "Try wearing a corset." I grimaced at the thought of one of those horrid things. I looked toward Jack to see how he was doing and saw the last thing I expected- Jack had become a skeleton.

"Whose side is Jack on?" Elizabeth asked, also noticing his new form.

"At the moment…" Will's voice trailed off as we were attacked again. Will and Elizabeth took care of them with their oversized club as I walked toward Jack and Barbossa.

"Jack! What did you do?" I asked as he stood in the moonlight. He turned around and faced me with a smile.

"I should have known you wouldn't stay in that room!" He said as he dodged one of Barbossa's blows. "Why don't you ever listen to me?" He asked in an unserious tone.

"Pirate." I explained as I laughed. It was weird to just stand here watching people fighting all around me, and having no one attack me. I watched as Jack knocked Barbossa over and cut his own hand. He threw a bloody medallion to Will who was standing over the stone chest. Barbossa quickly stood up and pointed his pistol at Elizabeth.

"No!" I yelled as I heard a gunshot go off, but Elizabeth was fine. I looked back toward Jack questioningly and saw his pistol smoking.

"Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot." Barbossa shook his head.

"He didn't waste it!" Will exclaimed, dropping two golden coins down to join the others. Barbossa slowly dropped his sword and looked down at his chest. Blood poured from his new gunshot wound.

"I feel…" His voice faded. "Cold." He stopped suddenly and fell to the ground, dead.

"It's finally over." I said walking toward Jack. He turned and smiled.

"It is." He said. I had expected him to say more, but for only the second time in his life, Jack seemed at a loss for words.

"Jack Sparrow, unable to think of what to say? That's only happened once before." I smiled. He laughed and walked toward me.

"Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing." He wrapped his arms around my waist and I rolled my eyes. I knew what was coming. He leaned down and I felt the familiar sensation of Jack's breath against my face.

"Jack. Shouldn't we get back to the ship?" Will asked from the opposite side of the cave.

"Right on cue." I said quietly to Jack.

"William. Do us a favor," Jack said, wrapping his arms even tighter around me. "Shut up." He shook his head. Looking down at me, he smiled. "I'm not waiting for anymore interruptions." He pulled me closer and quickly pressed his lips against mine. We stood there, lost in our world, not caring about anything or anyone else. I felt insanely happy as his lips stayed connected with mine, forcing me to fight for breath. If there was ever a passionate kiss in the world, this could have toppped them all. It had just started when it was over, though it really could have been hours later and I'd have never known. Jack and I finally got our first kiss in ten years, and it was even better than I could have ever imagined.


	45. Chapter 45: Not Again

"Just look at all this stuff." Jack said, looking around the cave. He slowly walked over toward a large golden pile and picked up a golden statue. He threw it over his shoulder and picked up a crown. He smiled at me as he placed it on his head. "How's it look?" He asked sarcastically.

"Hideous." I lied as I laughed with him. He picked up a smaller tiara and placed it on my head.

"Then you get to look hideous, too." He laughed and walked back to the pile. He scavenged a few necklaces and pulled them around his neck. He then reached for a small box, finding a few rings thrown inside. He put them on his finger one by one and then tried the last. It was too small for him and he motioned for me. "Get this thing off my finger and you can have it." He said, holding up his finger.

"Why thank you for offering me a gift that wasn't yours to begin with." I said, plucking to sliver band off his finger and putting it onto my own. There was a single blue stone in the center of it, with small intricate heart carvings all around the band. "It's beautiful." I laughed at his 'gift' though it really was gorgeous. I looked over toward Elizabeth and Will. I had almost forgotten about them until now, especially thanks to the kiss. They were standing close together, and for a moment I had to get my hopes up. I saw Will saying something, though I couldn't tell what, and Elizabeth slowly turned and walked away. I could tell it wasn't what any of us were hopping he'd say. Jack swaggered over toward Will, adorned with his treasures.

"If you were waiting for the opportune moment- that was it." He said. "Now if you'll be so kind, I'd be greatly obliged if you'd drop me off my ship."

"Oh, Jack, about that." I whipped the tiara off my head and looked over at Elizabeth who showed no emotion as we climbed into the small boat. "The crew decided to sail off with the Pearl after Elizabeth and I freed them. I'm sorry we couldn't do more." I said, though I was just as sorry for myself that I'd probably never see the Pearl again. I'd have to go back to my old life in Port Royal, and after this adventure, I truly realized that pirating was where I belonged.

"Oh." He said, simply.

"I'm sorry, Jack." Elizabeth added.

"They done what's right by them. Can't expect more than that." He sighed. We slowly rowed out to the Dauntless and climbed aboard the deck. I pulled down on my sleeve as I noticed the entire British Navy staring at us.

"Elizabeth, Selesta." Commodore Norington began slowly. "I thought you were told to stay aboard the ship.

"We were worried." I said slowly. "And we weren't just going to sit back and do nothing."

"Well, the important thing is that we're all safe, is it not?" Jack asked placing an arm around Commodore's shoulder. He turned and faced Jack, a look of disgust on his face. Jack slowly lowered his arm and took a step back.

"Gillette." Commodore said looking toward the soldier. He stepped forward with a set of irons.

"No." I breathed. "They can't! After everything he's done for Elizabeth…" I said softly so only I could hear. They clapped the shackles around his wrists and pulled him down toward what I guessed was the brig. I was about to follow them when I heard Governor Swan behind us.

"Oh, you're safe!" He exclaimed. "I wish you wouldn't worry me so." He hugged his daughter as she faked a smile. I knew she was thinking of Will, who was standing silently at the edge of the ship. He stood facing the ocean, his head hung low. "Mr. Turner." Governor Swan said walking toward Will. He quickly turned around.

"Yes sir?" He asked, his voice unsteady.

"I don't like the fact that you chose piracy. But I'm granting you clemency for saving my daughter. Don't make me regret this decision." He said, his face stern.

"Yes sir." He said. Governor Swan continued talking with his daughter and Will turned back to stare at the ocean again. Commodore stood at the helm, staring down at Elizabeth, who was trying to escape talking with her father. I looked around and when I saw no one was paying attention to me, I snuck down toward the brig. I walked along the rows of bars and stopped at the very last one. Jack sat silently inside it.

"Jack." I said, he looked up at me.

"They took me crown." He said sadly. I laughed, but stopped myself when I realized what was going to happen to him.

"Jack, you've been caught." I said, while tears began to form in my eyes.

"I'm not so sure if I'm going to be able to get out of this one."

"But you have to! Otherwise…" My voice trailed off as I thought of Jack standing at the gallows. Tears began to fall down my cheeks as I knelt down on the floor, my hands grasping the iron door to the cell. He leaned closer toward me.

"There's nothing either of us can do." He voice was shaky and miserable, he too knew what was coming. More tears fell down my face as he leaned against the bars and softly kissed me.

"Jack. I _can't_ lose you. Not again."


	46. Chapter 46: The Secret is Out

**Sorry it took so long to get out! The laptop I use to write and update belongs to my school, and they were pulling them all in to fix before we take the SOLs. Anyway, here the chapter is, it isn't my best work and it is slightly depressing- hate to say, but its alright I suppose.**

* * *

"All prisoners are to be kept in solitude." A voice rang behind me as I wiped my eyes. I was still leaning closely to Jack, both of us against the cell door. I turned around and saw Commodore looking down at me.

"I'm sorry. I'll leave." I stood up and began to walk from the cell, with just one glance behind myself at Jack. He still sat against the cell, his eyes turned toward the floor.

"Miss Selesta, if I may venture to inquire about this," Commodore began to talk after he followed me from the brig. "What exactly is going on with you and Sparrow? You can answer me with complete truth, because I think I do know the truth. If you tell me now, I'll make sure you don't end up in the gallows, even if you usually would. I have no desire to see you there." I sighed, knowing I'd have to tell my story to him. I may not have liked him much, but I knew he'd keep his word.

"I…I…" I struggled. "I'm a pirate." I finally forced myself to say.

"So I was right." Commodore said with a small smile on his face.

"How long have you known?" I asked.

"Well, I haven't known until this moment, but I've thought you were ever since the day we met when you and Turner were found in the water. You seemed very anxious about boarding our ship, and you constantly pulled down on your sleeve. Possibly to hide something, I couldn't help to think." He reached down and pulled up my arm, slowly exposing the brand. "I was right."

"Yes. You were." I looked toward the ground, but when I looked up he was walking away. "Wait, you're just going to leave it at that?" I asked.

"I'd never go back on my word, Selesta." He said. "But I do expect you to behave according to non-pirate society from now on. Am I clear?"

"Inescapably." I said, quoting Jack. He rolled his eyes as I walked toward Elizabeth. Her face showed signs of tears stains, and I was sure my face looked the same.

"I see you've been crying, too." She said, proving me right.

"Not for the same reasons you have been." I said.

"When I talked to my father, he brought up my marriage to James." Elizabeth began. "He began talking about how good decisions can become bad decisions if made for the wrong reasons. I told him my mind was made and that I wasn't going to change it. But it hurt so much." She allowed a single tear to streak down her face. "I'll never have the man I truly love." She was sure to say this quietly, making sure that no one other than I could hear her.

"Jack is going to be hanged, Elizabeth." I said letting myself begin to cry again.

"Oh, here I am going on about my problems and you have your own to deal with. Your own, that are even bigger than mine. I'm so sorry, Selesta." Her face showed sincerity as her tears stopped. Mine, however, continued to flow.

"I've lost him before, and now I have to go through it all again. And now even Commodore knows about my past." I continued.

"He knows about your being a…a…" She looked around to make sure no one was listening.

"A pirate." I finished for her. "Yes. He's known ever since we first met. Thankfully, he's promised not to tell anyone."

"Tell anyone what?" A voice sounded behind me. I turned around and thought I was about to vomit when I saw who it was. Governor Swan.

"Oh, uh…I…" I tried to think of what to say.

"Yes?" He asked.

"I, um, Commodore, uh…" I stammered, wanting to punch myself in the face for not being able to come up with an excuse.

"Is there something you ought to tell me, Selesta? Something you're hiding?" He asked far too suspiciously.

"No! No, Father, Commodore was just promising Selesta that…" Elizabeth began, but I cut her off.

"No, Elizabeth. He deserves to know the truth." I couldn't believe what I was doing. "Governor Swan, I…I'm not exactly who you think I am." I began to stutter.

"Yes, and who would that be?" He asked skeptically.

"My last name is not Smith. It's Merrigue. Selesta Merrigue. Selesta Bloody Rose Merrigue." I stopped, hoping he would catch on and I wouldn't have to finish my sentence.

"You? A Merrigue? Are you the daughter of Campbell Merrigue?" He asked.

"Yes sir. Good 'ole Cannonbell was my father. And he wasn't the only pirate in my family." I said, knowing he didn't exactly catch the "Bloody Rose" in my name.

"Please tell me you had a brother." He said, slowly looking me over.

"No sir. I didn't have a brother, sister, or even a dog for that matter. And my mother wasn't exactly a pirate either."

"Why didn't you tell any of us?" He asked, exasperated.

"Would you just flat out tell the person you worked for -who just happened to be the Governor of Port Royal- that you were a pirate? No? I didn't think you would either."

"You know I should have you hanged for this." He said coldly. I grimaced and felt sick again. "But I'll grant you clemency as well." This I wasn't prepared for.

"What? Why?" I asked.

"You have done a lot for us, and you've proved to be very faithful to the crown." He began and I hid my laugh. "I find no threat from you as long as you won't stray back to this former life of yours. And do not mention anything about this to anyone." He warned, walking from me.

"That worked out to my advantage." I said. Elizabeth smiled.

"He's a great man. He knows you're not going to turn against him in anyway." She said.

"I wish it were true."

"Why wouldn't it be?" She asked.

"My life isn't in Port Royal, Elizabeth. I'm a pirate. I belong on the sea, on the Pearl. With Jack." I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye to make sure I wouldn't lose my composure again.

"I know." She said, and it surprised me. "You have to be true to yourself." **(Now doesn't this seem like a real Disney movie moment? 'Thou must be true to thyneself. For it is not thy brain that controls thine life, but thy heart.' Ok, stupid moment over, back to the story…)** She looked over toward Will and sighed.

"You need to follow your own advice, Elizabeth." I said.


	47. Chapter 47: MrSparrow's Soul

"I have to go talk to him, Elizabeth." I said.

"You can't just go waltzing into the prison. You're a woman and they won't let you in unless you're there to be behind the bars. I'm sorry, Selesta, but I don't think there's anyway to meet him." She said slowly. We had just gotten back to Port Royal and the guards had taken Jack off to the prison before I could get a chance to say good-bye. I closed my eyes and flopped down on Elizabeth's bed.

"There has to be someway to get down and talk to him." I said. I opened my eyes as an idea began to form in my head. "I've got it."

* * *

"Yes, I'm here to speak with a Mr. Sparrow." I said. 

"I'm sorry Miss. We'd like to keep civilians away from such dangerous criminals." I rolled my eyes.

"Dangerous my butt." I said under my breath. "No, I've been sent from the Catholic Church to speak with Mr. Sparrow about the condition of his soul. If I understand correctly, he is to be hanged tomorrow."

"Well then, I suppose it is alright for you to go speak with him. We'll keep nearby to make sure you're completely safe." The guard said, leading me down the stairs.

"That shoots a hole in my bloody plan." I mumbled. "Now I have to come up with some Church thing to say. Uggh…Pirates don't know Church stuff…"

"Here he is Miss." The soldier said, stopping in front of a cell.

"Mr. Sparrow, my name is Samantha…uh…Smith." I said, telling him with my eyes to go with it. "I'm here from the Catholic Church to speak with you about your soul. Sir, are you going to heaven?"

"One can never be sure. Why don't you tell me more?" He said with a smile. Why couldn't he just make this easy?

"Mr. Sparrow, you may have done some things in your life that you regret, but repent now. You will come into the Kingdom of Heaven if you'll accept the Lord." I tried speak confidently as if I knew what I was saying. For emphasis, I touched my head, chest, shoulder and shoulder as I had seen the people of the Church do. **(Sorry guys, I don't know what this is called- I'm not Catholic, but I don't think the protestant Churches were around back then, so I'm straying from what I know!)** Jack smiled, trying to keep himself from laughing as I continued with my lie. "Why don't we start small. Would you like to tell me of some things you might be regretting right now?" 'Act upset' I mouthed. He smiled and nodded, finally deciding to cooperate.

"Well, I…" His voice trailed off as he looked at the guard. His eyes softened. "I wouldn't feel comfortable speaking with so many people around." I turned and looked at the guard.

"Would you mind giving us some privacy? It is important for Mr. Sparrow to be able to speak comfortably about such things." The guard stood up and nodded, leaving the room. Jack sighed.

"Now that he's gone, I can talk. I have regretted becoming a pirate. When I told you I loved pirating, I was lying. I've always wanted to be just like Commodore Norington." He said seriously. I burst out laughing.

"Come on, Jack I had to do something to see you!"

"That's alright Samantha uh Smith. We all find our own paths in life. Unfortunately, the Church is not in my path." He said with a smile.

"Jack, this is serious." He leaned in toward the iron door and softly kissed me. I pulled back and let a tear slide down my cheek.

"I'm sorry." He said, sitting on the ground and putting his hand up to his head. "I just needed one more. I just…" He stopped as footprints echoed through the hall. A soldier, though not the same one as before, stopped nearby.

"Visiting hours have long been over, Miss." He said coldly.

"What is this- a jail or a nursing home?" I asked quietly. Jack heard me and laughed. "My name is Samantha...uh..."

"Smith." Jack whispered behind me.

"Smith." I said, feeling stupid that I had forgotten my name. "I'm here for the Catholic Church to speak with Mr. Sparrow about the condition of his soul. It's very emotional for all of us, and we really need some privacy for the poor man to feel comfortable. Would you mind…" I asked. I looked back toward Jack who was doing his best on-the-verge-of-tears impression.

"Oh, sure. But not long, we don't like civilians…" I cut him off.

"To be around such dangerous criminals, yes I know." I said. He walked away and Jack and I were alone again.

"Jack, I can't do this." I said.

"Do what?" He asked.

"Lose you! I said it before, I can't lose you again! It was hard enough the first time…" My voice faded.

"You don't need me." He said.

"Yes I do." I let another tear roll down my cheek.

"No, you really don't." He said.

"Jack. I love you. I need you." I let the rest of my tears fall from my eyes as I collapsed on the floor. "Bloody stupid emotions." I said.

"I love you, too. But there's nothing we can do." He sighed.

"I don't care. I'm going to figure something out." I said.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm going to find a way to save you."

"No. You'll get caught and then be hanged right along side me. I'm not going to let you be killed for me." He shook his head.

"Everyone important already knows about me being a pirate. Governor Swan knows that I used to be a pirate and that I turned to pirate ways to save Elizabeth. He knows I've done exactly what you have Jack, yet he granted me clemency and condemned you to death. It's not fair, and if I'm killed for trying to save you then so be it. If you deserve to die, so do I." I took a deep breath.

"I…" His voice stopped.

"Don't try to stop me. There's no way you can anyhow."

"Miss, this area is off limits." Another guard said behind me. I rolled my eyes and began my speech in a monotone voice.

"My name is Samantha Smith, I am here for the Catholic Church to talk with Mr. Sparrow about the condition of his soul…" The soldier stopped me.

"You need to leave." He replied.

"But I still have many things to discus with Mr. Sparrow about his life. Many things." I said, hoping he would go for it.

"It is unsafe for you to be here. You need to leave." He persisted.

"But Ja…Mr. Sparrow hasn't gotten salvation yet!" I said as he tried pulling me to my feet.

"He's a pirate. He doesn't deserve the Kingdom of Heaven as the rest of us do." He said with a laugh. I stopped dead in my tracks.

"What?" I asked in a deadly tone. I couldn't stop myself from slowly reaching for where my sword was hidden.

"He's a pirate. He will be hanged tomorrow for his deeds and that will be the end of it. Don't waste your time on 'saving' him with the Lord." The guard said. I felt myself grasping the metal handle before I realized what I was doing. I stopped myself. 'You're supposed a Catholic woman right now, Selesta. Not a pirate. Catholic woman. Not Pirate.' I recited in my head.

"Fine. I'll leave." I said quickly before I lost control. "Good-bye Mr. Sparrow." I said, struggling to keep the tears in my eyes from falling.

"Good-bye, Ms. Smith." He said sadly. I couldn't believe that my good-bye had to be so fake and without real emotions.


	48. Chapter 48: A Deadly Plan

"Can you help me into this dreadful thing?" Elizabeth asked trying to tie up her own corset strings, which wasn't quite working. I sat perfectly still, not even turning from the window. I couldn't think and I could hardly breathe. And that was before the corset I was going to have to wear. "I suppose not." Elizabeth sighed. "Estrella!" She called out the door. The maid quickly walked in to help Elizabeth.

"Do you need help as well, Miss?" She asked me after Elizabeth was standing rigidly in her corset. I could hardly process what she was saying. "Miss?" She asked when she received no response.

"Selesta." Elizabeth walked up behind me and gently laid her hand on my shoulder. I finally stood up and handed Estrella my corset.

"Not so bloody tight!" I yelled, not caring who heard me.

"I'm sorry, Miss." Estrella said in shock, as if she were scared of me. I didn't care. I slowly walked over toward the bed and slipped into my dress. Estrella zipped it up for me and quickly stepped away from me. "Anything else, Miss?" She asked Elizabeth. She shook her head and Estrella quickly left the room.

"Are you going to be alright?" She asked me as I slipped on my shoes.

"No." I answered. "I went to go talk with him last night and I almost tried to kill one of the guards when they forced me to leave. I was this close to actually hacking his head off, Elizabeth."

"I'm sorry you're losing him." She said slowly.

"I'm not sure if I can go today. I know I'm not going to be able to watch them hang him." I cried. She said nothing as I broke down in tears. I wasn't exactly sure how many times this had happened to me recently. Too many times. I hated crying so much, but lately it seemed like all I could do. She quickly walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry. So sorry." She gasped. "I wish I could say more, but there's no way I can compare to what you must be feeling." I finally stopped myself from my crying and pulled away from her hug.

"Come along, its time to go." I heard Governor Swan's voice from the door. I fixed my hat on my head and nodded. Elizabeth and I walked toward the door when I started to get an idea.

"I'll be right there. I forgot something in my room." I said, running down the hall. Elizabeth gave me a questioning glance, but continued on her walk down the stairs with her father. I quickly stepped inside my room and shut the door. With a click, it was soon locked. I opened my drawer and pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt, a vest, and my sword and pistol. For the first time in a long time, I genuinely smiled.

"No one is taking Jack's life from me. And if anyone tries, I'll take their life from them."


	49. Chapter 49: The Hanging

Stepping into the carriage, I must have looked suspicious because Elizabeth gave me a bamboozled look. I smiled deviously only to add to the confusion on her face. I kept my head turned away from Governor Swan as we traveled down the streets of Port Royal. There was no way that I could even allow the slightest chance for this plan to fail. Jack's life was on the line.

"Here we are." The carriage driver jerked the coach to a stop.

"Bloody carriage." I mumbled to myself. Governor Swan stepped out and quickly walked off to talk to an old friend. Elizabeth climbed out the door and turned to wait for me. As I stepped onto the cobble street, my sword jingled under my dress.

"You didn't." She said quickly.

"Oh, but on the contrary I did." I smiled.

"You can't." She whispered in a panicky voice.

"I can and I will." I said in a deadly tone. "Jack will not die when there is anything I can do to stop it."

"But Selesta…" I stopped her.

"Elizabeth, you said it yourself that you would do anything to save the man you loved, and you did. What I'm doing may be a lot more dangerous that what you did, but there is absolutely nothing I won't do to save him." I quickly walked away from the carriage and toward the crowd.

"Just be careful, then. I don't want to lose my best friend." She followed me toward the pack.

"Elizabeth, Selesta, over here." Governor Swan called over the sound of the crowd. We walked up to a small elevated place where we could see the 'action' better. I smiled knowing no one would see what they expected. A hush fell over the crowd as I saw two guards force Jack onto the gallows' platform. His hands were tied, and my heart began to beat faster as I tried to figure out my timing.

"Jack Sparrow, be it know that you have…" I stopped listening.

"Captain. Captain Jack Sparrow." I mumbled under my breath. Elizabeth turned and looked at me. "What? That is part of his name." She turned back toward the platform.

"…For your willful commission of crimes against the crown. Said crimes being numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith piracy, smuggling…"

"This is wrong." Elizabeth said, next to me.

"Commodore Norington is bound by the law. As are we all." Governor Swan said, justifying his actions.

"…Impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England…" I laughed at this one, causing everyone to look at me.

"Oh, what? Don't you find it funny that someone would fall for Jack being a cleric for the Church of England?" I asked. The turned back toward the platform again and I saw Will beginning to walk toward us through the crowd.

"…Sailing under false colors, arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hung by the neck until dead. May God have mercy on your soul."

"Hmm…That is a long list." I said to myself.

"Governor Swan, Commodore, Selesta, Elizabeth." Will said, stopping in front of us. "I should have told you everyday from the moment I met you. I love you." My heart skipped a beat as he said this. Will had finally told Elizabeth how he truly felt! He quickly walked toward the platform pushing through the crowd and I realized he was going to do the same thing I was doing. I quickly ripped off my dress, revealing my pants and such, and I pulled my sword from it's sheath. Turning toward Elizabeth, Governor, and Commodore, I saluted them all.

"Chao!" I leapt into the crowd and followed closely behind Will. People began to scream as we forced out way closer to Jack. 'Oh, I don't want to die today. Please let this work!' I thought as I saw the noose being placed around Jack's neck. We had to move faster.


	50. Chapter 50: Plan in Action

We broke through the crowd just as the hangman was reaching for the leaver. My whole body stopped, but thankfully, Will was still able to move. He quickly threw his sword under Jack's feet, giving him an extremely small platform to stand on. It was a good thing Will had further trained himself in sword fighting since I had taught him the basics all those years ago. I quickly snapped back into reality as I saw Will running up to fight the hangman, and Jack barely dangling for his life. I rushed up on the platform and cut the rope that Jack was hanging from and he easily fell to the ground. I turned and tried to help Will fight off the hangman, but my sword was no match for his axe. It was soon flying out of my hands and Will and I jumped back onto the ground. In a triangle formation, Jack, Will, and I all picked up Jack's hanging rope and somehow managed to reach the other side of fort, taking out armed soldiers along the way. Unfortunately, we were quickly surrounded with tons of loaded guns pointed right at us.

"Well, that didn't go as well as I'd hoped." I said slowly.

"I thought we might have to endure some sort of ill-conceived escape attempt. But not from you." Commodore said to Will. "And especially not from you." He turned to me.

"Pirate." I said, holding up my hands.

"On our return to Port Royal, I granted you both clemency. And this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with him? He's a pirate!" Governor Swan stepped toward us.

"And a good man!" Will protested.

"Yes he is." I said. "And you know what? I'm a pirate as well, Governor. You granted me clemency, and unfairly condemned Jack to death. If you want hang me as well, then go right ahead."

"I feel the same." Will said beside me. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner." Commodore stepped threateningly toward Will.

"It's right here." Will stood even taller. "Between you and Jack."

"You already know it's exactly where I'm going to be." I said, smiling at Jack.

"As is mine." Elizabeth stepped forward and grabbed onto Will's arm.

"Elizabeth!" Governor Swan said, shocked. "Lower your weapons!" He ordered his men. "For goodness sakes, put them down!" The men reluctantly lowered their guns.

"So this is where your heart truly lies then?" Commodore asked Elizabeth.

"It is." She responded as I felt someone poke me. I turned and saw Jack smiling. He pointed off and I saw the greatest thing I could have seen- Cotton's parrot.

"Well, I'm actually feeling rather good about this." Jack said, stepping toward Governor Swan. "I think we've all arrived at a very special place, eh? Spiritually? Ecumenically? Grammatically?" His face was dangerously close to Governor Swan and I couldn't help but laugh when Governor made a nasty face from the smell of Jack's breath. He walked toward Commodore. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that." He walked over toward Elizabeth and Will, who were still clinging onto each other. "Elizabeth. It would have never worked between us darling. I'm sorry." I rolled my eyes as he ran closer toward the edge of the stone wall that overlooked the sea. "Will." He turned around. "Nice hat." He proceeded to walk even closer toward the edge. "Selesta? Are you coming?" He asked.

"I'd have it no other way." I started to walk toward him.

"You're leaving?" Elizabeth called from behind me. I turned around to face her.

"You have to follow your heart." I quoted her. She smiled.

"Here." She handed me my sword.

"How did you..." She stopped me.

"I grabbed it after it flew out of your hands. I'll miss you." She said as I sheathed my sword.

"You don't need me anymore." I said, recalling almost the exact same conversation between Jack and I. This one was much happier though. "You have Will." She smiled and looked up at Will, still holding her around the waist.

"Yes, I do." She smiled even brighter.

"But Will, you take care her or I swear I will come back here and personally kick your…" Governor Swan cut me off with a cough.

"Face." I finished with a tone that was obvious to anyone that I was not planning on saying face.

"Don't worry. I will." He smiled. I ran over and gave him a hug.

"Good, but take care of yourself as well. You're both my best friends." I gave Elizabeth a hug. "Thank you for everything, I'll miss you. Both of you." I walked over toward Governor Swan and Commodore.

"Thank you, Governor for everything you've done for me over the years. And Commodore, I truly am sorry I called you a bloody, self-centered, dense, lying, two-faced prig." I said.

"You, you never called me that." He said, his face twisted in confusion.

"Did I not? Oh, well, I'm sorry for thinking it anyway." I said, walking toward Jack.

"Friends!" Jack began taking a step backword with every word. "This is the day you will always remember as the day that..." He took a step too far and lost his balance against the edge of the fort. Swinging his arms wildly, he lost it completely and fell over the edge.

"Oh, Jack." I laughed. "Let me finish for him. Let this be the day you will always remember as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow and The Bloody Rose." I waved good-bye for the last time and dove into the water after Jack.

* * *

**Well, It's not over yet! Almost, but not quite. There are still surprises ahead! And trust me, you won't have seen this one comming!**


	51. Chapter 51: 'Captain' Jack Sparrow

We surfaced from the water and I swam over to Jack.

"Now it's really over." He smiled as we watched the Pearl sail into view. I looked up to the fort and saw everyone staring at us. I smiled up at them and swam off toward the Pearl. They threw us a line and Jack grabbed a hold of it while I wrapped my arms around his waist. They heaved us up to the poop deck and we landed with a thud. "I thought you were supposed to keep to the code."

"We figured they were more actual guidelines." Gibbs smiled at me and pulled us to our feet. Cotton walked over and handed Jack his hat.

"Thank-you." He said, placing it on his head.

"Captain Sparrow." Annamaria walked over. "The Black Pearl is yours." Jack slowly walked over to the helm and grabbed a hold of it. We all stood watching him while he gently rubbed his hand over the polished wood. He stopped when he noticed all of us standing around, doing nothing.

"On deck, you scabrous dogs! Man the braces! Let down and haul to run free." He shouted. I began to walk down to the main deck, but he grabbed my arm. "Not you." He smiled and pulled me into his arms.

"We're finally together. And on the Pearl." I leaned my head back on his shoulder.

"Aye." He smiled.

"Selesta." I heard. I turned my head and saw Annamaria.

"Oh, hello." I said. "Listen, I'm sorry about the whole, threatening you with a pistol thing."

"It's alright. I understand." She smiled. "Follow me." I looked back at Jack and he shrugged.

"Where to?" I asked.

"Just up here." We walked onto the main deck and she lead me up to where a group of the crew was standing. Annamaria disappeared into the group and walked back with another person following her.

"Hello." The person said, pulling off their hat. She was oddly familiar.

"Oh, um. Hello." I said.

"What? You don't remember me?" She joked.

"No. But…Lola?" I stammered.

"The one and only!" Lola exclaimed pulling me into a hug.

"But how?!" I asked, ecstatic that she was alive.

"The Captain of the Malvageta wasn't quite as heartless as we'd thought. He didn't want to kill a woman." She smiled. "He kept me as prisoner, but I was able to escape after a few weeks on their ship."

"That's great!" I said. "But, my father was killed." I guessed.

"Aye." She said slowly.

"Well, I'm just glad you're alive!" I pulled her into another hug. "How did you get here?" I asked.

"Well, I've lived in Tortuga for the past few years, and a few days ago I was sitting outside. I heard a large group approaching and I saw my sister." She looked over at Annamaria. "Of course I ran straight to her. I began talking to her, and I heard the entire story about you and Jack, and your two other friends."

"Will and Elizabeth." I said.

"Aye. Well, I talked them into coming back for you. You owe me big time." We laughed. "So." She said. "I see you and Jack are still together." I smiled.

"Closer than ever."

"Mmm…I don't think that's possible for the two of you." She joked.

"Oh, shut it!" I laughed, climbing back up the steps toward Jack. I stood next to him and he looked over at me.

"You really are daft." He finally said.

"What do you mean?" I laughed.

"You risked your life to save a pirate." He slightly turned the helm.

"I am a pirate. What all do you expect?"

"Not more than that." He said.

"Good. Because you're not getting anything else!" I said. We were silent for a while.

"Not even a kiss?" He suddenly asked.

"Maybe a kiss." I said softly. He leaned down and slowly pressed his lips against mine, gradually getting more and more passionate.

"Ok, you two break it up or get a room." Lola's voice rang through the air. We reluctantly pulled away.

"Why does everyone get enjoyment from doing that?" He asked. She laughed and walked away. Then suddenly, it hit me!

"Jack, they were right." I said.

"Who was right?" He asked.

"Everyone from the Pearl. All those years ago. They were right about your name. They always said you'd be the Captain of the Black Pearl someday." I smiled.

"They also knew we'd be together." He added.

"True." I smiled and he leaned down to kiss me again. Lola coughed behind us.

"Get over it or get off my ship." He snapped, but I saw his smile while saying 'my ship'. "Now...bring me that horizon." He looked around the ship and began to hum.

"A Pirates Life for Me?" I asked.

"We have to keep tradition." He said. "Hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm hm. And really bad eggs."

"Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho!" We sang. I looked around watching everyone work. Everything I wanted was perfect. I had my love, my life as a pirate, and my friends. I was in my element and exactly where I was destined to be- On the Black Pearl with 'Captain' Jack Sparrow.

* * *

**Wow, it's over. I'm going to miss writing it::cries:: **

**Did you expect my surprise, not-dead Lola? (yeah, neither did I. I thought of it last minute while I was writting the last chapter!) Well, I'll probably start writting a sequel sometime in August (check the first paragraph on my profile!). Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers for readin' me story. I really, really luff you guys so much more than you'll ever know. Until I write again, Selesta and I bid you a farewell and a good, wonderful summer!**


	52. Important Rewrites

**Okay, so I was thinking about my sequel about later on in the story, and I realized that and idea I had would only work if I rewrote part of this story. Therefore, I have provided all of the rewritings here. This is a part of chapter two...she is meeting Lola and just finds that her father has lied...enjoy!**

**Oh, and you really don't have to read all of them, but the beginning of chapter 11 is really different, and you absolutely positively must, must, must read at least the end of chapter 14. It is essential to understanding my sequel. Thanks guys! I love you!**

* * *

"Selesta, this is Lola. You'll be sharing her cabin. If you'll show her where it is, Lola..." 

"Of, course Captian." She said, with a smile. "So," she said, leading me down a staircase, "Your father's Cannonbell. You must be proud."

Her words hit me like a cold wave. "My father's who?" I asked, my eyes fixed on her.

"Your father, Cannonbell?" She stared at me as if I didn't know what a queen was. She continued walking down a dark hallway, shaking her head. "I can't believe that man didn't tell you the truth. Well, I'm going to tell you, whether he knows or not. Selesta," She said, unlocking the door to a room, "Your father has been a pirate on the Black Pearl for years." She stepped inside the room, and I began to look around. There were two beds, a dresser, and a small mirror on the wall. Lola, once again began to talk. "Your mother died at the same time we, meaning the Captian and Crew, decided to go to the Caribbean. Your father knew he would have to bring you with us, and I'm guessing he decided to tell you that he just now joined the crew."

"But, why didn't he just tell me the truth?" My heart was beating so quickly I didn't think I'd ever recover.

"Selesta, he didn't want to hurt you." She kept it simple and made it clear that was all she was going to say.

"That's no excuse." I said, sitting down on the empty bed. I tossed my bag in the corner with more force than I knew I had. 'Why did he lie to me?' I thought in my head, over and over again. 'Bloody stupid...' My thoughts were cut off as Lola began to rumage through the dresser. She pulled out a pair of pants and a shirt and threw them on my bed.

"Here, these don't fit me anymore, and you'll want them later."

I picked up the pants and stared at them. 'How can these possible be comfortable?' I thought. 'Oh, well. Lola said I'd need them.' I reluntantly pulled off my dress and tossed it into my bag. I picked up the pants and the shirt and put them on. Surprisingly, they felt ten times better than the dress.

"We should go back to the deck. It's going to get light soon and we've got to get out of this port before we get caught." We stepped back into the dark walkway, and she locked the door back.

"Oh, and Lola," I remembered, as we walked back to the main deck, "Do you know anything about Jack?"

"Selesta, I know just as much about Jack as someone can find out. Just let me warn you, that's not much!" She laughed, and for a while I forgot about my father and his lie.

* * *

**No rewrite for chapter 3, so here is chapter 4! Okay, since I didn't rewrite chapter three, here's a recap so you don't get completely lost. Selesta becomes a good part of the crew. Works during a storm, and runs into Jack. Okay...chapter 4!!!**

* * *

The storm slowly started to fade, and there was less work to be done, so the Captain allowed Lola and I to return to our cabin, and some of the men to return to the bunk. 

"I met Jack." I told Lola after we were finally dry and in our cabin.

"Really?" She asked. "How?" I was surprised that she took so much interest in my wanting to know him. But I liked having someone to talk to.

"When I went to go fix the sail, he was there, too, and he helped me get that done. I got his name out of him, but he ran off to help with the cargo net before I could talk to him anymore." I yawned. After all that work, I was tired, but not as worn out as I would've thought.

"Alright, let's get some sleep before morning comes. To tell you the truth, you did so well today, the Captain might, not have you follow me anymore. I might would miss that." We both laughed, and fell asleep.

I woke up early, and was the first on the deck.

"Wow. It's actually quiet for once..." I stood on the starboard side staring out to sea. Before I knew it, I had started to sing.

"We pilage, we pluder, we rifle and loot. Drink up me hearties, yo ho! We kidnap and Ravage, and don't give a hoot! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Yo, Ho! Yo Ho, A Pirate's life for me!"

"It's a great song, isn't?" Someone said behind me. I turned to see none other than Jack, smiling at me.

"How did you sneak up behind me?" I was so startled, I forgot to be polite. It's not that it mattered though. I was on a pirate ship after all.

"I've been here a while. I could sneak up behind a bird a catch it as long as I'm on The Pearl. I'm guessing you're Cannonbell's Daughter?" He asked, genuinely, as if he truly wanted to know.

"Unfortunately." I grumbled. "You're the Captain's son, correct?" I asked back, even though I already knew. It just seemed like the right thing to say.

"Aye, that I am." He said, walking up next to me along the edge. "Captain told me that we have the nest today, almost all day. Lost four men to the sea last night and he said that he would need all the men, and Lola, on deck today. Looks like you're stuck with me for a while. Sorry about that." I couldn't help but laugh as he spoke.

"It doesn't seem that bad." I smiled. It turned out that Jack was rather cute. For a pirate anyway.

"That's because you don't know me yet. Once you meet me, you'll be dying to do anything to escape." We both laughed. "So, what are you doing up so early?" He asked and I didn't really know what to say.

"Habit, I guess. And what about you?"

"The same. I like the sunrise." He said, staring into the distance. "I hear the crew waking up; you want to head on up to the nest?" He asked, staring into my eyes.

I looked away. "Alright, I'll follow you up." I said blushing, as he climbed up to the nest. We got to the top, and he smiled.

"You got up a lot easier than I expected. Any other way to surprise me today?" He joked.

I laughed. "Not unless you didn't think I knew the rest of the song..."

"No, that's not going to surprise me! But it was hard for me to believe that it was Cannonbell's daughter singing earlier. I'm telling you the worst way to die is your eardrums exploding. And if you listen to your father sing for too long, well..." We laughed, I resolved to never listen to my father sing (if I ever listen to him talk again), and I began to sing the rest of the song.

"We extort, we pilfer, we filch and sack. Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho! Maraud and embezzle and even hijack. Drink up me hearties, Yo Ho! Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me. Yo Ho, Yo Ho! A pirate's life for me..." I had only known Jack for less than an hour, and I was already falling for him.

* * *

**Okay...you may have noticed a little pattern here. In this version, Selesta is far more angry at her father. You may have figured out that he will be in the sequel. You may know where...anywho, that's enough information! On to the story! Chapter 5!!**

* * *

Jack and I spent the entire day up in the Crows Nest, being on look out. Or so we said. We talked the entire time about everything possible. But especially about Pirating. 

"Jack. How long have you been on the Pearl?" I couldn't help but ask.

"I've been on the Pearl since I was seven. I'm fifteen now." He seemed to love the Pearl though, so I didn't bother to ask if he ever wished for land. "How old are you, Selesta?" He looked at me and asked.

"I'm thirteen now. But my Birthday is in a month." I said, as though it didn't matter. It's not like I was going to get any gifts anyway, right?

"Really? We'll be in the best place on Earth for your Birthday, then!" He smiled and laughed. But I didn't seem to get the joke.

"The best place on earth?" I stared at him, and he laughed again.

"Tortuga!" He said with a smile. He obviously loved this place, but I had no idea where it was, or even what it was. "You don't know what Tortuga is, do you?" He read my mind. "Tortuga is a port city where pirates can go without having to hide the fact that they are pirates."

"Is it in the Caribbean?" I asked. He acted as if he knew the place, but I thought the Black Pearl had always been in English Waters.

"Of course! Where else would it be?" He said with another laugh. He must have thought I was pretty funny. I didn't want him to think of me that way.

"Never mind. I just thought that the Pearl had never left English Waters, that's all." I turned away and stared out in the Ocean.

"No, every man, and Lola, has been to Tortuga. A few years back we went, just to go, and loved it. We came back of course, but decided to go to the Caribbean to stay. Then you joined the crew." He explained.

"So, my father has been?" I asked.

"Aye. Your father has been. We all have. Except you, of course."

I sighed. "Lier." I whispered to myself. I practically hated the man, now...and yet, I almost wanted to talk to him. Almost. I continued to stare out into the sea. The sun was still high in the air, and its reflection glared in my eyes, so I had to turn back around.

"Well, when we get to Tortuga, we'll pick up a few more people for the crew. Then you won't have to be stuck up here with me anymore." I laughed, and he seemed surprised. We stayed up in the Crows nest until the sun began to set. I stared at the beautiful sight until I realized Jack was doing the same.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I asked, without looking looking at him. I didn't feel like I needed to, I felt like we were finally on the same page.

"Almost as beautiful as you." I heard him mumble.

"What did you say?" I asked quickly, turning my head toward him.

"Almost a beautiful as the sunrise." He said quickly. "Remember. I wake up early just to see it." He covered up his words and turned his head away from me. Maybe we were on a closer page than I thought.

* * *

**Chapter 7!! I skipped rewriting chaper 6, so here's a recap...Jack tells Selesta about Tortuga and realizes she needs to learn to sword fight before she can go ashore...then they head for the Captain's cabin and the next chapter starts...**

* * *

Jack grabbed my hand and lead me down a hall I had never seen before. He stopped in front of a large door and rapped the knocker. I heard someone walking, and soon I saw the Captian open the door. 

"Captian!" Jack exclaimed, almost to happy to have been a normal human emotion.

"What do ya want, Jack?" The Captain tried to hide his smile, but it showed through. He was truely happy to see his son, even though he knew there was a reason he was here. Jack let go of my hand and began to talk.

"Now, you do know that Selesta does not know how to handle a sword, and it would just be murder to allow her to port at Toruga, under these conditions." He talked as though he were used to trying to pursuade, and I had to muffle my laugh. He was rather good at it.

"I do believe you should allow me to give her lessons. I'd teach her how to fight, and we wouldn't have to worry about her in Tortuga." He smiled, and placed his hand on this father's shoulder. "Don't you think this is more important than work? No, no, let me rephrase that. Don't you think this work is more important than anything else we could do?" He looked up into his father's eyes, and gave him the most pitiful stare I had ever seen. Once again, I had to cover my laugh. This time by coughing.

"Jack. Ye know that look does no good on me. But ye have a point. She needs to learn 'er way with a sword, an' I trust ye to teach 'er." He walked over to a cabinet and pulled something out. "Here." He said handing me a sword. "You can borrow me old one to learn."

"Thank-You Captian!" I said, taking the sword.

"Aye, thank-you Captian." Jack said, leading me away from the door. "Hurry, lets go before he says something about more work." I laughed again, as we ran back to the deck. We stepped into the newly arrived sunshine, and I looked at the sword. It was extremely light, and the handle fit perfectly in my hand. I pulled it from it's sheath only to find a perfectly polished blade, sparkling in the light.

"Come on!" Jack said, walking to an open area. "You need to learn."

"Aye, Captian!" I joked, and walked toward him. He shook his head, and pointed his sword at me.

"Now hold it like this..."

My lesson lasted for the rest of the week, but by the end, I could spar with Jack and almost win. By sunset, we had a large portion of the Crew watching our last spar.

"Alright, Selesta." He said. "Lets make this one last!" I smiled and glanced into the crowd, seeing my father. He gave me a smile and mouthed 'good-luck'. I rolled my eyes and looked away. How dare he act as though nothing happened. I looked toward Jack. "Lets go."

We walked to oposite sides of the ship, and waited until Barbossa, **(Haha...I'd forgoten I'd wrote this part in...hehe...)** a member of the crew, gave the ok.

"Alright, ready?" He asked. I nodded, and saw Jack do the same. "Now, while I have everyone's attention, I would just like to take this opportunity to wish Miss Selesta good-luck."

I smiled and glanced at Jack. He rolled his eyes and looked back at me, laughing. Barbossa's Revolver shot, and Jack and I were off. From there it was nothing but the metallic sound of our swords, and cheers of the crew. This spar, unlike the others seemed to last forever, one person in offense, the other in defense only to switch with time. Until, I saw the oppertune moment. Jack was leaving his right side, the side on my left, much less protected than his other side. He knew that I was much weaker with my left than right, but I knew I had to try.

I was on the offense at the moment, so I worked my way toward the ropes around the crows nest. In one swift motion, I grabbed the lowest one, and succeded in swinging my self toward Jack's right side, knocking him on the deck. I let go and stood over him, my sword in hand.

"The amazing Jack Sparrow, finally defeated." I smiled and put my borrowed sword back in it's sheath, only to be greeted by the crew, and their congradulations. No one had actually expected me to be able to win, I didn't even think I could do it, but some how I did.

I walked back over to Jack, who was still laying on the floor. I extended my hand and helped him up. He looked at me, and opened his mouth, only to close it again. He shook his head, smiled and walked away. For the first time ever, Jack Sparrow didn't know what to say.

* * *

**Okay...big jump this time! Chapter 14! This is one of the ones that I really recommend reading if you don't read anything of the others. (But you have to read the last rewrite!) Recap...Jack and Selesta kiss, Selesta falls overboard, Jack saves her and gets a nasty cut from it. It is sewn up, and now while he's recovering Selesta must still work above deck. And that's where we are...**

**Oh, and I reread the cut chapter. That was waaay too dramatic. I should have had him break something...or made the cut much worse. Oh, well. I don't feel like rewriting that part. Anywho on with the chapter!!!**

* * *

Walking out on deck the next day, I realized I was still the first up. The sun had just begun rising in the sky, and I walked around, waiting for the crew so I could do something. After about ten minutes, I heard a few people up on deck. My father was the first one I saw. 

"Selesta!" He said. "Its nice to finally see you. Almost everyday you're off somewhere with Jack." I turned away from him. He meant it nicely, but it reminded me of how bad I felt for Jack. I glared at him.

"Still angry with me, aye?" My father asked.

"How do you expect me to feel? I found out that everything my father told me was a lie! A lie!" I yelled at him.

"Well what would you have done?" He asked slowly. "Tell your daughter that you were a pirate when your family was a part of regular society? I couldn't risk everything." He said.

"So you just lied to me instead." I said. He just didn't get it.

"You ought to at least meet the crew." He said slowly, lead me toward a group of men.

"Well. I guess I can finally meet you all." I said politely smiling, despite my previous outburst. "In case you didn't guess, I'm Selesta."

The men all smiled, and told me their names. One was Jeffery, but told me to call him Gunner. The next was Neil, and he told me to call him Cat'O'Neil, which I thought was funny, condsidering the Cat'O'Nine Tails. The third was William who told me to call him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill. They all seemed so nice, and I felt at ease right away.

We worked the rest of the day, and eventually I told the men about Jack's surgery. They continuously would ask about the blood.

"No." I would answer every time. "I wasn't scared of the blood!" And they would just smile to themselves. I guess its a guy thing.

I walked around the deck, looking for something to do. Most of the men had everything covered, and there was even someone in the crows nest.

"I thought they were short on crew members." I mumbled to myself. I leaned against the port railing and began singing 'A Pirates Life for Me' in honor of Jack. Bootsrap looked my way and smiled. I smiled back and continued singing. During my song, most of the crew had begun to listen, while doing their work, of course. At the end of the song, they all told me to sing again.

"You liked it that much?" I asked. They nodded, so I began to sing again. After I finished it a second time, I didn't feel like singing anymore, so I looked around for work again. Still none to be found, but I did find Lola at the Helm.

"Lola!" I said when I saw her. Walking up to her, she had a look on her face.

"Is Jack ok?" She asked.

"Yea, he's fine." I answered, wondering why she'd ask. I hadn't seen him since last night, and even then, she was in the cabin last night.

"So did you really make it through Jacks surgery. Even with the blood?" She asked.

"What is it with you people?" I asked. "Every time this comes up, someone asks about the blood!"

"It's just that..." She began. "Well, we..." She seemed at a loss for words. "Its not important right now. I guess we're all so surprised you don't mind. Especailly since I do. They must think all women are scared of blood, I mean after all, most are..." Her voice trailed off, but it sounded like she was hiding something. But I knew Lola was not going to tell me anything, so I let it slide.

I walked back around, talking to the crew. By the end of the night, I had made friends with all of them, and I'd become really good friends with Bootstrap. It turns out that he has a son a few years younger than me.

"Why isn't he on the Pearl?" I asked. We were all done working for the night, and I was on my way to check on Jack. "I mean, you're a pirate after all. And I'm sure he'd like it, too."

"It's not a life I want for him, Selesta." He said, and I understood where he was coming from. A Pirates life was a hard one, and dangerous as well. "I do miss him a lot though. Hardly got to see him when we were in English waters. Now that were in the Caribbean, I wonder if I'll ever see him." I felt so bad for him, and his son. I knew what it was like to hardly see your father...maybe I ought to forgive mine. No. I couldn't do it yet. I stopped in front of the Captian's Cabin, where Jack was resting, and turned to Bootstrap.

"Thank-you for being so nice today. I never expected Pirates to be so friendly." I said. He laughed and walked away, down to the bunks.

I walked in the Captians Cabin, knowing Jack would be the only one there. Walking over to his couch, I saw him, sleeping soundly. I brushed his hair out of his face and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind me. Walking back to my cabin, I heard a group of men talking. The group was noisey, and it sounded like the entire crew was there.

"So, thats what we're gonna do with 'er?" I heard someone say.

"Aye. We spent the day gettin' to know 'er. I like 'er, like a daughter a'course. We'll leave the other like'n to Jack." The men laughed.

"They're quite a pair." Someone else said. "But back to business. Ye sure its right? I mean we have Cannonbell and Lola's input, and Bootstrap's, now. They all say the samething. We goin' with it?"

"Aye!" The men said. I was getting scared.

'What are they talking about? They're talking about a girl, and they have Lola's input, so it can only be me.' I started to run away from the area. I ran to my cabin, hoping Lola wouldn't be there, but she was. I sat on my bed as far away from her as I could get.

"Are you ok?" She asked. I said nothing. "Selesta, what's wrong?"

"What are you all going to do to me?" I still didn't look at her. "I heard the crew talking about doing something to "'er". They said something about you getting your input, so that means they were talking about me." I kept my eyes glued to the floor.

"Look, we all just decided we really like you. We want you to stay on the Pearl for as long as you can! That's all!" I didn't buy it, but something in her voice told me not to worry as much. I finally decided to move, and I climbed into the bed. Without another word, I fell asleep, dreaming of the worst.

* * *

Two weeks passed since the incident, and I had stored it away in my mind. No one other than Lola knew that I knew about it, and I intended to keep it that way. Jack had finally healed enough to come out on deck, though he wasn't able to work. He would sit on the edge of the ship, and talk to everyone near by. But today, he talked continuously about Tortuga. 

"We're a day's journey away from Tortuga! We'll be walking the city streets by tomorrow!" He said.

"That's great, Jack." I retorted.

"What's wrong?" He said, giving me a pitiful look, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Tomorrow's my Birthday. Do I really want to be in Tortuga for my Birthday?" I was worried. The way I heard people talk about Tortuga had me scared. They would sound excited, but their words didn't match their emotions. Drunks covering every street. Fights and gunshots being the main sound in the air. I wasn't sure.

"Love, you will adore Tortuga. It's in your blood." He glanced over at my father. "He likes it. I know you will."

"Don't compare me with him." I glared at my father. Jack gave me a strange look, but said nothing. Which was a good thing- I didn't want to talk about him.

We worked all day, and I walked down to my cabin after night. Lola was already in the cabin, and I climbed into bed. She laughed at me.

"You know. For an almost Birthday girl, you are awfully quiet. Usually you have some sort of daily news to tell me. None today?" I shook my head. "Worried?"

"Lola, I just don't know about Tortuga." She smiled.

"Don't worry. You'll like it. I'll make sure of that."

'Who knows what she means by that.' I thought, laying down, and drifting off to sleep.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Lola screamed as I woke up the next day.

"Thanks Lola!" I said. I was in a much better mood than yesterday. We both walked up to the deck, only to find the crew waiting for us.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They shouted as we walked on deck.

"Thanks!" I smiled. They were making a big deal out of this.

"Selesta." The Captain walked toward me. "We have a few things we'd like to give ye fer yer Birthday." I was astonished. "First, I'd like to direct yer attention to the shore line. That m'dear is Tortuga." I looked over the starboard side to see land in the distance. It was almost a strange sight; we'd been out to sea so long. "I think the crew'd like to go first." He said.

"Selesta." Barbossa **(Haha...why do I find it so funny that I almost made him nice here!) **stepped forward. "For yer Birthday, we couldn't get'ya anything special, but we did come up with somethin' we think ye've deserved. Your Pirate name. These names are given to a Pirate by their fellow crew after they have earned them. And your time is here."

Bootsrap stepped forward. "It took us a while to come up with a name. We had a lot of input from the people who know you best- your father and Lola, but we finally came up with your name. Bloody Rose."

"I love it!" I said after he said my name. "Just one question. Why 'bloody'?"

"Well, you said you don't mind blood...and pirates definately aren't elegant and all that..." Lola answered, with a smile. Suddenly it all made sense. The other night, they were talking about my name, and they would ask about the blood to make sure it would work!

"Now, we won't call ye by yer name all the time, but ye should learn to answer to it." Someone said, with a laugh.

"Of course! Thank you all so much!" I said.

"Oy. Bloody Rose." The Captain said to get my attention. "Ye know that sword of mine, ye've been practicin' with? Keep it." He said.

"Really?" I loved that sword, I couldn't believe he was giving it to me!

"A'course. Ye need a sword, an' it's too small for me anyway." He laughed.

"Selesta, Bloody Rose, whatever you're answering to now..." Lola said. "When we get to Tortuga, I'm taking you shopping to get you some more clothes. That's my present for you. And your father's present is paying for the shopping." I looked over at him, slowly.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"Sure." He said, unsure of what would be right to say. I walked away from him and began to wander around, trying to find Jack. He was the only one I hadn't seen yet. After a lot of searching, I found him on the port side, talking to Cat'O'Neil. He hadn't seen me yet, and I couldn't help but overhear part of their conversation.

"I can't believe yer doing that, Jack." Cat'O'Neil said, shaking his head. "I mean, It's not like ye have to do anythin'."

"No, I, I want to. I just...It's important to me, ok? Once we get on land, I'm searching Tortuga until I find what I want. No matter what."

'What is he talking about?' I thought. 'No, I don't want to hear anymore.' "Hey, Jack!" I said, waling closer to him.

"Happy Birthday, 'Bloody Rose!'." He said, giving me a kiss.

"Wow." I laughed. "You don't know how strange it is having people call you 'bloody'. Wait, Jack. You've been here longer than I have. What's your 'pirate name?' I mean everyone just calls you Jack."

"You really want to know my name?" He asked.

"Of course." I answered. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know.

"Captain." He said simply. "They named me Captain."

"Why would they call you Captain? Because you're the Captains son or..."

"No." He cut me off. "They call me Captain because they are positive that I will be Captain of the Black Pearl someday."

"Well then Captain." I said sarcastically. "When are we getting off this ship? I'm told I can go shopping and, hey, I'm a girl. I'm excited."

"Bloody Rose. We can get off this ship as soon as you want. It's your birthday, and according to the Pirates' Code, you have full authority today."

"Really?"

"No!" He laughed, and I shoved him into the railing. Another day, another wise crack from 'Captain' Jack Sparrow.

* * *

**Okay, nothing important happens in the next chapter...they go to Tortuga, Selesta go shopping...Oh, and a very important part, Jack gives her a sliver heart necklace. But this is the most important rewrite I am writing, therefore If you don't read anything else...READ THIS. You might catch on in the sequel, but it'd be easier just to read this...or the end of it anyway. I'll mark the part to read...enjoy the most depressing thing I've ever written...here...**

* * *

We walked into the room and stood with the rest of our pirates. Most of them were drunk by now, and were such a sight to see, laughing and carrying on. We all had a great time until another group came in.

"Oh, look!" The man leading the group said. "Its th' crew of th' Black Pearl. What are ye doin in th Caribbean? I thought ye lily-livers were stayin in English waters." He spat at us, with a slight Italian accent.

"Who is that?" I leaned over toward Jack and whispered.

"Thats the captain of the Malvagita-Nave." He whispered back. "He's chased the Pearl for years, trying to sink her and kill us all. We need to get out of here."

He looked toward his father, who mouthed for us to leave. We snuck out of the bar, and ran for the Pearl. We boarded, and shouted for the few people of the crew that stayed on the Pearl. Barbossa and Bootstrap ran up from the bunks; neither had gone because they werent too fond of rum.

"Whats going on?" They asked.

"The Malvagita's after us." Jack answered.

"Wheres the rest of the crew?" Bootstrap asked. Jack did nothing, but looked toward the ground. We all had realized but now what had happened after we left. A tear fell down my check, and everyone was silent.

"We've got to get out of here before they find the Pearl. All hands on deck!" Jack yelled, taking position as Captian. A few more men ran up, and we began to sail from the harbor, but not fast enough. Just as we left, we saw the Malvagita's Crew begining to board. We worked as fast as we could, desperately trying to move. We had almost traveled far enough to be safe when we heard the sickening sound of firing cannons.

"They're shooting at us!" I yelled as a cannonball ripped through the side of the Pearl. There wasn't much left to do, but we all continued to try. Another cannon tore through the side of the ship, and water began to pour into her side.

"If I can patch that hole, we might stand a chance." Jack yelled.

"No, Jack. You'd get yourself killed." Bootstrap yelled back.

"Its our only hope." Jack answered.

"Jack, please, we need you up here, and if anything happens, you could get stuck down there..." I didn't know what to say, but I knew something terrible could happen if he was to go. He turned around to face me, and gave me the biggest kiss I'd ever had.

"I love you. Always remember that." He said, as he ran down the steps. Another tear fell down my cheek as I ran back to work. Suddenly, I heard the sound of three consecutive fires. Two hit the Pearl on her hull, causing even more water to pour through. The third fire was a double cannonball, attached with a chain. It easily tore through the main mast, causing it to fall. It landed on the deck, above the stairs, trapping Jack below. I ran to the staircase, trying to move the mast, but there was nothing to be done. The holes were filling up with water too quickly, and she was almost sunk. I tried everything to move the mast, crying out in agony, but soon Bootstrap pulled me away.

"We have to get off the ship!" He yelled.

"But Jack is trapped! We have to help him!" I yelled, trying to break free from his grip. **(For those of you who are reading just parts...Read here...)**

"We can't move this mast. If there's a way out, he'll find it. We have to go before the Malvagita gets here." We ran toward the edge of the deck, the water slowly creeping up my calves. We jumped into the water, I by force, and swam to shore. I watched in pain as the Pearl sank down to the depths and Jack along with her. Everything good in my life was gone. My adventure and freedom on the Pearl. My best friend, Lola. My mother, and father. Even worse from that, I'd never forgiven him. I so stupidly hadn't talked to him. Our last words were angry...And even the love of my life Jack, was gone. Tears poured out of my eyes as I clutched my silver necklace. 'Captian' Jack Sparrow was dead.


	53. A Message From the Author

Hello there!

I just wanted to take a moment to let anyone who's interested know that I am attempting to re-write this story. It's just too...poorly written for my taste. I feel like I could do a lot with it now, five years later, and I can't pass up the opportunity to write Selesta again. I loved her character.

I may end up changing a lot. I've written a good deal of the first chapter and I've found myself making Selesta older, more sarcastic, and less society-centered. It works well on her, I think. The plot may change a bit, too, because re-reading this story has shown me that Selesta got off waaaay too easily sometimes. Life doesn't work that way and it makes for a better story to give your characters a hard time. Ye be warned.

So, maybe no one will care that I'm re-writing, but it's more like something that I'm doing for myself anyway. I can't leave my favorite character in a Mary Sue world. I'm not sure yet if I'll re-write all of the Selesta stories, though. I guess I'll just play it by ear. I never actually finished the last one, after all. But you never know; I could end up sucked back into writing and even create a fourth story!

Either way, thanks for reading!

* * *

-ScarletRosePetal


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